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3 things to say instead of “Sorry”
Save your sorries for when you need them
Hey friends! Today’s word of the day? Gumption. Meaning: having initiative, courage, and resourcefulness. It takes a special kind of millennial gumption to open five tabs, forget why you opened them, and still feel like you’ve had a productive afternoon.
Song of the day: We can’t get over Bieber’s Coachella performance, so here’s a playlist with his set list if you missed it!
Have a Q for WorkDaze or the podcast? Let’s hear it. Oh, and while you’re at it, listen to Are You Mad At Me? here.
3 Things to Say Instead of “Sorry”
(because you probably don’t need to)
I (Gabi) was in the yoga locker room when I bumped into a woman by accident. Without hesitation, I immediately apologized with “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry.” To which she quickly replied, “Save your sorries for when you need them.”
That interaction was over ten years ago, and yet, I think about it almost every day.
And if you’re anything like us, chances are “sorry” has become part of your daily vocabulary. Late to a meeting? Sorry, my other meeting ran long. Asking something? Sorry, I have a quick question. Have an idea? Sorry, but can I say something?
Constant apologizing can undermine your confidence and how others perceive you, plus it loses its meaning when you actually mean it.
The good news: you can always change your ways (without apologizing of course!) Try these three easy upgrades to start.
Instead of: “Sorry I’m late.”
Try: “Thanks for your patience.
Rather than centering your mistake, acknowledge the other person’s time.
Without putting yourself down, this signals respect while also sounding more composed and intentional.
Instead of: “Sorry to bother you.”
Try: “Do you have a moment?”
First of all, you’re not annoying anyone; you just have a question. Second, and it’s a good one nonetheless!
Reframing your apology removes the assumption that you’re interrupting something more important. It’s direct, polite, and gives the other person a chance to let you know if they’re actually busy.
Instead of: “Sorry, can I just say one thing?”
Try: “I’d suggest…” or “One thought is…”
Leading with “sorry” tends to weaken your idea before it even lands.
Dropping it doesn’t make you rude; it makes you confident of your (genius) idea and helps your voice come through with more authority.
Okay, so your homework for this week? Take note of how often you say “sorry” this week, and then try to swap just one instance per day. Small language changes add up fast, and over time, they reshape how you show up. And then, suddenly, one day you won’t be asking “Is it too late now to say sorry?"since you never had to apologize in the first place.
…after you refrain from saying your sorry for not responding to their texts right away.
FoodieFromVT’s Tuscan White Bean Kale Salad is on our lunchbox rotation for the week.
What does a random exchange with a taxi driver have to do with an executive getting hired at DuoLingo? Everything.
When you’re dramatic and say that going into the office makes you sick… you may be on to something! Sick building syndrome is a term used to describe a range of symptoms associated with being inside a specific building for long stretches of time. Yet another reason to WFH!
Thanks for reading this week! We’ll chat in a few. Love you, mean it. :)
—Rod and Gabi
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