I have a really bad habit of apologizing too much.

If I'm running late, I'll apologize a few times. If I have a question, I'll start it off with an apology. If I feel like I'm being a bother to a friend, I'll apologize to them a thousand times.

I think it's instinctual at this point--dropping an "I'm sorry" into a conversation without realizing that I'm doing so, and frankly, without having needed to drop it in the first place.

We link "I'm sorry" with a sense of security. If we feel like we're doing something wrong, or especially when we feel like we're being a bother, a quick "I'm sorry" can be both reassuring and, like I mentioned before, instinctual behavior.

The danger with overusing "I'm sorry" as is the danger of overusing any words, is that it can lose its meaning very quickly.

It is important to apologize; it shows a really mature sense of empathy and genuine sincerity. But when saying "I'm sorry" turns into reassurance for feeling like a constant bother, that is not okay.

I know I won't immediately stop apologizing in conversation, so I'm going to try replacing "I'm sorry" with thank you.

Instead of apologizing for being late, I'll thank whoever I'm meeting up with for waiting for me. Instead of apologizing for asking a question, I'll thank the person I asked for helping me out. Instead of apologizing for being a bother, I'll thank my friend for being there.

"I'm sorry" should not have to be instinctual for anyone. It's not an instant fix, but replacing "I'm sorry" with something positive like "thank you" is the perfect start to ending the bad habit.

Don't let "I'm sorry" be your only sense of security. You deserve so much more than thinking you're a constant bother and having to apologize for it, and I'm not sorry for saying it so bluntly.