By practicing acceptance and by supporting them by just Being there for them. By practicing honesty and compassion towards them and their choices, even in the most challenging of times or when I "think" I may know  "better" than they do. By practicing non-judgemental listening and by extending. Hugs, direct eye contact and transmitting love, sunshine and warmth from my heart.

When someone apologizes to me I usually I accept it. When it is from the heart I have no issue receiving it and letting go. There are times however, when I "know" that the person still isn't out of their ego & are “just” saying it to say it but I see the fact that they are extending and receive it. Usually we feel "bad" enough when we have said or done something out of integrity or in a reactive state and so accepting the person where they are at, I feel, supports them to see their innocence.

I also think it is important that when someone does apologize we let go of whatever it was that happened rather than pull it out as "proof" sometime in the future.

As far as my relationship to apology - I know when I do not feel good and have something to take responsibility for. And sometimes it can be such subtle things. Things which I needed apologize to anyone else for but juts own it for myself and forgive myself and bring that awareness into the future.

In cases where another person is involved, there are times when even though I would like to extend and take responsibility right away, I have to step back to see what it is that I have done to be out of integrity and why. What was the trigger which "made" me re-act – and it is usually a projection of something from the past. I do my best to see the projection and then own it and then apologize from my heart, from my true self and with sincerity. Then I feel good.

I have a motto - Be strong, be wrong - which relates to times when I see my ego wanting to be right and so I ask myself - "Do you want to be right (about core beliefs about worthiness or just a simple fact) or do you want to be happy?”

I want to be happy and it is amazing how letting go and taking responsibility and acceptance brings me back to peace, light and love.

The most challenging thing for me is when I take responsibility but the "other" person doesn't. This is where I practice compassion and acceptance and allow the person to Be where they are at & do my best to take off any energy of wanting or needing that. Lots of times they don't ever take responsibility for their actions or words however I remind myself that I am not responsible for their growth or issues and focus on myself, so that I can better relate to others and myself in all relationships. The struggle comes when I want them to be different, to SEE themselves and own their stuff. But most of us cannot do that when we are conscious let alone operating from ego. So I let go of "needing" them to be different and doing so I find my way back to peace and give them the space to do with the experience what they need and wish to.

A big piece of this for me is seeing my innocence when I have done something I am not proud of and then seeing the innocence in the other person (or organization, or political party, or country).

Wow. So much to say around this one. Guess it has been one of my greatest areas of growth and expansion - from defensive behaviour to owning my stuff.

In honesty and innocence,
Tatiana