I'm Not Sorry: Let's Stop Saying Sorry For Everything

In today's world, it seems that all we do is say sorry. Sorry for walking down the hallway, sorry for making eye contact, sorry for not moving out of the way, sorry for not saying the right thing (you get the picture).

Why do we do this?

Why do we feel the need to apologize for things that in no way warrant a "sorry"? I'm tired of saying sorry for things that I'm not sorry for, simply because I've been conditioned to say it. JoJo said it best, "Fuck Apologies, I would say I'm sorry if I really meant it."

I'm not sorry for not moving out of the way on the T. I pay just as much as you do to stand on this hot, sweaty, and smelly vessel, and if you give me one more dirty look I'll make sure I stand extra close to you.

I'm not sorry for listening to my music really loud in my dorm room and singing every word with my roommate. We enjoy the music, we're having fun and de-stressing after a hard day, and literally everyone compliments on our music when they hear it in the bathroom (true story, our neighbors have told us). Also, if people are offended by our "loud" music, they should take their complaints to the room down the hall, who's music can be heard at 10:30 p.m. on a Monday.

I'm not sorry for saying something that made you marginally upset (such as "I don't like that TV show" or "This song isn't that great" Why? Because I'm entitled to my own opinion about these things, and I'm sure you don't like every show I watch or every song I listen to (and that's okay). I'm not sorry for not liking your friends (or for calling them fake because, well they are) if you have a problem with that, see above.

I'm not sorry for stating how I feel, for calling you out on your bullshit, or for telling you how it is. If you can't handle it, that bubble you're living in is probably hindering your development into adulthood.

Why should I apologize for finally calling you out on something that bothers me? I'll wait for your answer. I'm not one to just say something for the hell of it, know that if I choose to talk to you about it, it's been bouncing around in my head for a long time. I will not live uncomfortably just to make you happy. I'm never going to be sorry for being proud of who I am. I spent years and years of my life hating who I was and how I looked.

No one is going to make me feel ashamed of who I am. not my family, not society, not my friends, and certainly not you.

Now that all of this is off my chest, I have a message for you, the reader.

Please please pleaseee stop apologizing all the time! Don't feel shamed for taking a seat on the subway, or not throwing yourself against the wall when someone is walking towards you. Some people feel entitled to the everything in the world (it's sad honestly) and they believe that people actually owe them something.

Don't let these people affect you, take pride in who you are, what you've overcome, and use everyday as a learning opportunity. You'd be surprised at what happens when your mind is an open place.