An apology that lands does something simpler and harder than saying sorry. It shows the other person you understand what it was like for them.
The three parts
- Name what you did, without softening it.
- Say how you think it affected them, and ask if you've got it right.
- Say what you'll do differently, then do it.
Leave explanations until they've felt heard. Context matters, but offered too early it sounds like a defence.
A good apology is about their experience, not your intentions.
Small repairs, made quickly, keep small hurts from hardening into distance.