I apologize to myself to staying in a job, with a bad, narcissistic boss, who has caused me much unhappiness in the last 2 years. I apologize to myself for not listening to my gut and walking away out of fear. Jobs are hard to find but staying in one with a bad boss has seriously compromised my well-being in many ways. I did it out of fear. I forgive myself for staying in this pattern out of fear and I am not putting up with my boss's manipulations any more. I have the courage to leave now.

Forgive Me For My Fear

i apologize to my wife for judging her, not paying attention to her, not accepting her as she is, for trying to change her to who i thought she should be, for criticizing her as a way to soothe my own insecurities. i am moving towards forgiving myself for the many ways i fell short as a husband and a father. though i have no conscious thought of what you have done that i would forgive you for, i offer it unconditionally. you are a kind loving soul who deserved a better life free of the horrible abuse you suffered before we met. i hope you will find true happiness and a peaceful life

I apologize for continually choosing my addictions over discomfort. Being willing to endure the discomfort (when I do it) makes me far more available to others: more honest, more compassionate. I would like to be more willing and to offer other beings and myself all that I am capable of. I ask for your prayers and metta in this endeavor. Thank you so much.

I am sorry Laura, for any self guilt, self punishment that I am not good enough, messy, unwanted, abandoned, alone, ugly or whatever I am still carrying in me that makes me do things that are unloving to myself. I am sorry Laura, for having felt you have to work so hard to get anywhere, to be loved, accepted, pretty enough and have enough money. I am sorry for all you have had to suffer that was not necessary. I am sorry, love you Laura

I apologize to myself for believing that I am responsible for another's happiness. As a little girl growing up with a sick mother and an absent father, I was put in the role of my mother's caretaker. My job was to make her happy, and I also had to take care of my little sister. I was often told that because my mother had so many problems that I should not express anything that might add to them. I grew up to be very independent, but I have not allowed myself to be loved in the way that I deserve. I am changing finally, and I am almost sixty-two years old. Sad.

I apologize to myself for being so mean and hard on myself and expecting from myself what I would never expect from others. I apologize to myself for the intense anxiety I create which results in terror and effects my ability to relate to others because I tell myself they judge me harshly - when it is I who judges me so harshly. I forgive myself for the constant judging, criticizing, fault finding and shame for who I am. I look back at my childhood and I don't even know how it started or what I did.......yet I carry it with me still. I know I can create the possibility of a happy life and leaving this harsh critic in the past. And...I have to choose to do so - which would be an act of love.

I apologize to my mum who died 7 years ago. Due to my clinical depression during my teenage years (it began when I was 13, my parents were filing for divorce at the time) I was not able to appreciate her fully, I completely shut her out of my life most of the time, and I even gained pleasure from torturing her sometimes, by little demonstrations of my self-destructiveness or making her feel guilty in some other way. When I was 16 (after having refused to attend school for ongoing 6 months), my parents forced me to begin stationary treatment, for which I hated them both. After a couple of weeks I was feeling a bit more at ease with my situation at the clinic, it was almost like I had no choice but waking up (I see that now). During that slow process of awakening, my mum died in a car accident, as she was on her way to my younger brother. I am deeply sorry for causing her so much pain during those years. I regret that the realization came to late to tell her this in person, though I am aware that it is not my fault because I did not know any better at the time.

I apologize to myself and others for telling the truth without kindness. Truth is important but without kindness it is often cruel. I apologize to myself for those relationships I have lost, and to those who were not helped by the truth, because it hurt too much. May i always be truthfully kind, and kindly truthful. May i be loving and funny and truthful and kind. May i be actively spiritual and humbly grateful. May i share my gifts without expectation, knowing they are their own beingness and meant to be what they are for myself and others. Thank you Ondrea and Stephen, may your work continue for as long as we need it. Love, Bernadene

I'm sorry to my parents for my habits of self-destruction, especially while living in your home.

My apologies to my parents for burdening you both with my long standing emotional difficulties. Your softness, compassion, light heartedness, and sincerity seems to open me up- and the pain pours out. I pray for deeper acceptance of life's losses, and more peace for all of us.

My heart is broken because I have contributed to the suffering of my best friend. I was wounded by her, and in return, knowing her vulnerabilities, I tore into her with no mercy. I eviscerated her. It was cruel, really and in the heat of the moment, I was possessed with an anger that led me to this behavior. Now, one month hence, I so much want to ask my friend to forgive me for contributing to her suffering, but we are not communicating. Maybe someday I will be able to tell her this in person. I hope so.

I seem to be living with alot of darkness shame, guilt and remourse. I want to work on myself, to stop making the mistakes I have been making on other people. I'm sorry: To my boss for doing a poor job and going in late, and a remark I made. To my friend for making an offensive, distasteful remark. To my parents for not taking care of my health when I needed it, and for having poor character when we lived together. To my mental health counsellor for yelling and swearing at you. For an inappropriate and violent comment I made on youtube, and for inappropriately misrepresenting myself on another. To the people disrespect I displayed to the Mormon church members who took me into their arms with only grace and compassion. To an old friend for breaking a promise. To a girl I hurt a long time ago. To my neighbours for yelling loudly late at night. To a Buddhist Monk for stealing some tobacco and a few rolling papers on retreat when you weren't looking, that one stings. To the same monk for sending a vague email. Hoping for light, strength and wisdom

I apologise to my mother. You became unable to fulfil the mothering role to your children because of your mental health difficulties and an abusive marriage. As an adult I can now understand the pressure you were under. I now deeply regret that I often felt shame because of your behaviour and would criticise and ridicule you for it. I regret that you died before I could offer you the support that I began to realise that you deserved and needed.

My beloved, I am sorry for my part in our disagreements and difficult time in our marriage. You mean the world to me. I thank you for being in my life. I forgive you, I forgive me. I hope that we heal together. I treasure you in this short life...

My sons were 14 and 11 when they learned I had been cheating on their mom. I'd been separated 18 months but we hadn't told the boys. I broke my sons' trust and lost all these years by moving out and living alone. I have the prostate cancer, diagnosed only months before I moved out. I wonder if this is the cost for what I did five years ago. The shame is with me now more then ever. Forgive me boys for what I've done; I don't know how to forgive myself and I've broken my heart. In my deepest heart I don't know how to live anymore.

To my two beautiful, wonderful daughters - I am sorry I didn't try harder to stay in your lives. I should have done more. I am sorry that when I found you again, I was still not yet healed and whole enough to be what you needed me to be. I should have been so much more than I was, and so much more than I am. I should have put aside my grief for you, for you. I should have moved from California to Illinois all those years ago to be near you and to maintain my parental rights. I should have done more for you. I am sorry.

I would like to borrow another's apology to him or herself. it fits my situation perfectly and i doubt very much I could say it any better. I am grateful to this person for having the courage to post this apology: I apologize to myself for the years and years of self criticism and harsh judgment. I'm beginning to see the powerful impact of this negative self- talk, and deep belief that there is something wrong with me because I haven't been able to meet the right person, have a family life, a household with children and intimacy. I hate the loneliness and envy that follows me everywhere. I'm 48 years old and seem to be constantly grieving this loss. Thank you for your empathy Stephen and Ondrea.

dear beautiful dog, i am so sorry that you did not get the attention and love you deserved. i was trapped in my own helplessness and i did not really recognize your true value as another precious being sharing this gift of life. but you were perfect unconditional love. all these years later i still carry the shame and grief of my failure toward you. please forgive me.

I am so sorry for the terror my children must have felt when I sent them away from their home with me. They needed me. I needed them. But I didn't know it. I chose an affair with a man and abandoned my children. Even though that was over 25 years ago and those precious ones and I have come heart-to-heart and much healing has happened, I still carry the broken heart for that which I can never undo. They have forgiven me over and over. I so long to forgive myself. I know there is deep joy in my heart, deep freedom and love for them and all beings. I know this because I have times when I am basking in it. May my practice and your energy of compassion Ondrea help me to heal.