13 - Too Late to Compromise

Day 13: Issue a Public Apology (as Funny, Serious, or Creative as You Want)

To:  Me 
From:  Me

I am sorry for holding you back. I'm sorry for not recognizing and celebrating your good qualities, because truly, you are kind and beautiful and quirky and unique, and your heart is redeemed and good, and your life has infinite value and purpose! I'm sorry for doubting that you were enough and for trying to change you based on what others expected. I'm sorry for letting others mistreat you and for not taking better care of you when you were hurting. I'm sorry for trying to make you blend in and settle for being invisible. I'm sorry that I lost sight of who you are and almost gave up on you at times. You've been through a lot, but God has always used it to strengthen and refine you. You're not perfect, but you are not inferior to anyone. You are worthy of respect and dignity and love, and you deserve to be surrounded with people who believe that. I'm sorry for pressuring you and stressing you out and making you want to shut down; it's okay not to know exactly what you want yet! I love who you are and who you're becoming, and I promise to give you more grace and support from this day forward! ❤

This is the only apology I could fathom writing today, and it is well-deserved.  I have bent over backwards in the past apologizing to people who mistreated me, abandoning my self-worth in an effort to salvage an unhealthy friendship.  And the only thing it changed was that I respected myself less.  I have learned a lot and developed stronger, healthier friendships... and when it comes to guarding my heart and having good boundaries, as my friend JEM incorrectly but passionately sang, "It's too late to compromise!" :)

As the commercial below demonstrates, I'm one of many women who has a tendency to automatically over-apologize just for the sake of avoiding conflict...

I want to be kind and soft-hearted and forgiving, but also respectable and confident in what I am worth.  "Clothed in strength and dignity," as the Bible puts it!

I love the simple advice from Cinderella's mom in the new movie: "Have courage, and be kind!" 
Or in the words of Christ, "Speak the truth in love" ...without timidity or apology!!