How do you say “Thank you” in your language?
Instead of saying “sorry"...Now, I say “Thank you.” I used to say sorry for everything…even in situations where saying sorry didn’t make sense. 🤦♀️ For example, I used to say sorry when: - I dropped something, like a pen. (“Oppss! Sorry!) - I passed by people. (“excuse me” would have been more appropriate) - I was late. (“Sorry, traffic was bad because of a car accident.”) - I was taking time getting my stuff together. (“Sorry, I’m almost done.”) - I was asking for something I needed. (“Sorry, but can I have a glass of water, please?”) - My area was messy. (“Sorry, it’s a mess.”) - And more! I even started writing “sorry” in texts and emails. Others even started telling me that I said “sorry” a lot. And I responded, “Sorry!” 🤦♀️ Then, I started learning about self-compassion AND actually implemented it in my life, family, and business. That’s when I realized something: I was saying sorry as a placeholder. What do I mean? Because I grew up saying sorry for the consequences of my ADHD symptoms (procrastination, tardiness, messiness, anger issues, etc.), I got so used to saying it so many times that it became a habit and a people-pleasing tendency. Most importantly, it became my INSTINCTIVE response for self-preservation—to protect myself from negative feelings. And since “sorry” became my protective word…like an armor I can put on…it became the word I’d use when I felt uncomfortable...that’s why that word became a placeholder for other words that would have been more appropriate. Hence the examples above. ☝️ When I realized WHY I was using the word sorry that way, that was when I could shift my mindset and actions. And since I’m using sorry as a placeholder, I needed a different word instead. That’s when I started saying “Thank you.” 👉 Now, in response to the consequences of my ADHD, I say “Thank you” instead. For example, when I’m late or it’s taking me too long to do something, I say, “Thank you for waiting for me patiently.”