How Do You Apologize To Someone You Love?
My grandparents had a love marriage. They dated 7 years before they tied the knot and spent nearly 65 years in each other’s company and love. Yet, they fought like children. My grandmother would make my granddad’s favourite meal as her gesture of apology. Surprisingly, it worked every time. We may not live in such simple times where a hearty meal or a saree can qualify as the best way to apologize. Relationship dynamics and expectations are far more complex today. But that doesn’t mean you have to shoot for the stars to let your significant other know you’re truly sorry about hurting them. Here are 10 simple yet effective tips on how do you apologize to someone you love so that they know you mean it:
1. Send some flowers and an apology card
Wondering how do I send an apology message to my love? Well, wrap it up in some flowers and a beautiful card. This one is a classic that rarely fails to hit the nail on its head. But make sure you do it right and go all out. Pick out their favourite flowers and don’t be stingy. Order a bouquet with a hundred of their favourite flowers, add in a handmade card with your apology message, and have it delivered to them at their place of work or home.
2. Hug it out
If you struggle with being able to say sorry, hugging it out is the easiest yet profound way of letting your loved one know you feel remorse for your actions. Once they give in to the hug, sit them down and lay your heart bare. Let them know how much you regret your actions and assure them they’ll never be repeated.
3. Step out of your comfort zone
The best way to apologize to your significant other after you’ve hurt them is to prioritise them. So, step out of your comfort zone and into theirs. Take initiative and make a plan to do something that your partner enjoys but you don’t. Anything from planning a romantic getaway to their favourite destination to taking them out for their favourite meal, spending a weekend indulging in their favourite activity can work.
4. Buy them a meaningful gift
Even when you hurt someone unintentionally, your words or actions have the potential to skin their hearts. The best way to repair that damage is to let the person know how much they mean to you and that your behaviour was an exception that won’t become the norm. What better way to do that than buy them a meaningful gift. No, we are not talking about jewellery or gadgets. The price tag of a gift doesn’t ascertain it’s value. Besides, you’re trying to earn their forgiveness, not buy it. A meaningful gift is something that is personalised, holds special significance for its recipient, shows your thoughtfulness and how well you know your partner.
5. Make a gesture
How do you apologize to someone you love? What could be better than making a gesture that melts their heart? Be it spending a day at home cooking their favourite meal and then organising a cosy candle-light dinner or hiring a skywriting service to have your apology splashed across the sky, anything that’ll resonate with your partner is good enough.
6. Pour your heart out
Are you someone who struggles to articulate their feelings? Try writing an apology letter for hurting someone you love. This will give you a chance to pour your heart out and share your feelings with your partner. Speaking from a place of emotional vulnerability becomes difficult for a lot of people.
7. Have an honest conversation
Once the ice has been thawed and your partner is ready to come around, sit with them and have a heart-to-heart conversation about this bump in the road. Offer your sincerest apology, without saying things like ‘I’m sorry but’, ‘you also did this’ or ‘had you not done that’. Lend a patient ear to partner and try to hear them out without feeling agitated or getting defensive.
8. Use a song
Are you both music buffs? In that case, the best way to show your loved one you are sorry is choosing the path of music. You can sing a song that will melt their heart or even consider placing a request on one of your local radio stations, along with your message. The right words, in the right tone and rhythm, are sure to get the message across.
9. Say ‘I’m sorry’
Being able to say sorry is definitely not for the weak-hearted. It takes courage to own up to your mistakes and commit to being a better version of yourself. The hurt you’ve caused your loved one will not go away until you say the words – I’m sorry – and mean it.
10. Let your actions do the talking
How do you apologize to someone you love? By being better and not falling back to your old ways. As they say, actions speak louder than words, and all your gestures to show your loved one you are sorry won’t mean a thing if you don’t change your behaviour patterns. Sorry has become such as an overused word that people often find it hard to take it seriously. If you’ve hurt someone you love, you have to be prepared to put in the hard work required to make amends. When you apologise and mean it, your partner will find it in their heart to forgive you, so that you can both move on toward building a stronger relationship.
