You can learn and grow from your mistakes. Your mistakes, your past, your bad choices, none of that defines you.
Making mistakes and bad choices is a part of life. No one is perfect, and that includes you.
Even if others aren't ready to forgive you, and may never be, you can always forgive yourself.
Self-flagellating and wallowing in guilt, shame, and regret are not helpful, either to the person/people you hurt, or to yourself.
Self-compassion and accountability are not mutually exclusive; just the opposite, actually. They can, should, and indeed must coexist.
If you were in the wrong yesterday, today is another chance to get it right.
You are allowed to forgive yourself for choices you made when you didn't know any better, or when you didn't have good choices to make.
You are allowed to forgive yourself for the choices you made when you did know better, or when there were better choices you could have made.
You can't make everyone happy, and you can't be everything to everyone, and some people will just never be happy no matter what you do/don't do, and while that's not carte blanche to deliberately be an asshole, it's also not your problem.
Even if they reject you, or they don't want you in their life anymore, or they don't accept your apology (however sincere it was), you will be okay.
Apologize when you cross a boundary. Don't apologize for existing, taking up space, having needs, or being you.
Choose people who choose you.
snowghoul
jbbartram-illu
theartofmadeline
2087
dededos
germansingergirl
kianamaiart
titsay
