A sincere apology can mean so much at the right time. It may just be a jumble of words, but sincerity is so important. However, far too often do people throw around apologies, just to use as an escape route from their mistakes. If you're anything like me, you accept every apology that comes your way, regardless of if you should or not. In my case this has always been because I was afraid to lose a friendship if I stood up for myself, but then one day I realized that if I had this fear, then it wasn't a genuine friendship to begin with. The worst type of friendship (or any relationship) you can find yourself in is one that’s based off of empty promises and empty “I’m sorrys.” Everyone experiences a toxic situation like this at some point in their life, but I’m here to tell you one thing that will help you out when this happens to you: it’s okay to say “no, I don't accept your apology.”

Let me tell you a story about a friend I once had. I considered this girl one of my best friends, even though I knew she was the most toxic person in my life. The memories of all the good times we had together and the excuses I continuously made for her kept me holding on to a friendship that was only holding me back. The second biggest problem within our friendship was that she rarely apologized for her actions, and when she did occasionally apologize it was a quick, empty “I’m sorry” that had absolutely no meaning behind it. I say this was the second biggest problem, because the first problem was that she hurt me so many times that her apologies even became an issue. She never tried to understand why I was upset, and she never cared to listen to me when I tried to explain myself. Every time I would try to talk to her about my feelings she would say “I’m sorry” and act like those two words fixed the issue.

I think the hardest part in a situation like this is learning where to draw the line and acknowledge the fact that the person is not sorry. Once you establish this, that's when you know it’s time to let them go. Someone who doesn't value an apology is someone you don't need in your life. You have a right to remove yourself from any toxic relationship or situation that makes you question your worth, such as the friendship I was in. If you find yourself constantly wondering why you're not as good as the other person, why you're not as pretty as them, as smart or as funny as them, then it’s time to walk away. All that does is hurt yourself, and honestly, a true friend should never allow you to question that, not even for a second. They especially shouldn't throw “I’m sorry” in your face when you try to talk to them about it.

What I’m trying to say here is that "sorry" means nothing if the person apologizing doesn't do anything to change their actions. When someone’s automatic response is always “I’m sorry,” there comes a point when it loses all its meaning. Eventually, you have to learn that betrayal never comes from your enemies, and the moment you stop giving someone power over you, you gain so much. So the next time you find yourself in a situation where saying sorry isn't enough, you have every right to look at that person and tell them, “You can say you're sorry all you want, but I don't accept your apology. And I’m not sorry about it.”