When you break something, you don't throw it away.
You MEND it. Four steps to repair what got broken.
When you make a mess, you clean it up. When you break trust or connection, you repair it. Saying "sorry" and moving on rarely restores things. MEND does. Walk it in order.
M
My part
Own exactly what you did. No excuses, no "but you started it."
"I did it. I take responsibility for..."
E
Effect
Tell them how you think it might have affected them.
"I bet you might have felt ______ when I did ______."
N
Next time
Share how you will do it differently.
"Next time I will..."
D
Do you forgive me?
Ask for forgiveness, and mean it.
"Will you forgive me?"
The old way
"Sorry!" and here is why I did it. The person may hear the words, but the connection still feels broken.
The new way
MEND. Own it, feel it, fix it, ask. The connection gets restored, not just excused.
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."