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How do you make peace without apologizing?


Lauren8785

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My cousins and I got into a small fight. I told them how I felt about something and pointed some things out to them and it blew up in my face. I do not feel bad or regret what my part of the fight was, but I do want to just make peace but without apologizing for anything. What can I say to make amends without apologizing? I don't want family gatherings to be awkward because the last few ones I kept my distance and didn't talk to them but I don't want it to be that way for ever.

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You say "I am sorry you misunderstood what I said and meant when I shared those things with you". Is it possible that the way in which you shared your issues or the time/place in which you shared your issues is something you should apologize for?

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One thing I've done before is just joked around with a person I fought with about the fight. This has the effect of diminishing the fight as in it's not really that important and shows that you have positive feelings for the person independent of it. I guess it would kind of depend on your relationship whether that's really doable.

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If the fight had been between just two people, both of the above might work. But it is a group against an individual, so I don't think things will get better until you DO apologize in some way, shape, or form. You say you don't regret you part in the argument, but your post sounds like you really do. Apologize, get it over with, and go have fun with your cousins.

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No, like I said I do not regret what I said. I was honest and shared my feelings with them and it just blew up from there. I feel like they do not care about my feelings and what not but I am getting over that. If they don't then they don't but I don't want to hold a grudge forever and not talk to them ever again but I do not wish to apologize because I did not do anything wrong but state MY feelings and views.

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Well there is a difference between being sorry for what you said and felt and being sorry that it caused a big mess. You obviously didnt mean for it to blow up like that, so whats the hard in apologizing for that part of it?
I guess I could apologize for that, but not for how I felt or sharing my feelings or anything.
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No, like I said I do not regret what I said. I was honest and shared my feelings with them and it just blew up from there. I feel like they do not care about my feelings and what not but I am getting over that. If they don't then they don't but I don't want to hold a grudge forever and not talk to them ever again but I do not wish to apologize because I did not do anything wrong but state MY feelings and views.

 

Being honest and sharing your feelings needs to be balanced with tact and consideration for the other person's feelings. Is it possible it blew up because of the tone you used or when you chose to share these feelings or in what context?

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I think you are sweating the semantics of the word and if you insist on being that stubborn this may not be a situation that can be resolved. One way or another, your words and feelings caused a problem. You can tell them that you meant what you said but that you didnt mean for it to get out of hand.

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I think you are sweating the semantics of the word and if you insist on being that stubborn this may not be a situation that can be resolved. One way or another, your words and feelings caused a problem. You can tell them that you meant what you said but that you didn't mean for it to get out of hand.
Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Thanks guys.
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If I don't feel I was wrong then I do the whole "I am sorry for my part in the argument, perhaps I reacted too strongly, I just think you misunderstood what I was trying to say...", usually both sides say something they don't mean and it is a great way to make peace without accepting full blame when you don't feel you were in the wrong.

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