The following was posted on the Gottman Institute’s blog Marriage Minute. Because the advice is subtle but profound, I wanted to share.

Sorry for venting.

Sorry for being late.

Sorry for taking up your time.

What if you reframed apologies as appreciations?

Thank you for listening.

Thank you for waiting. 

Thank you for spending time with me.

There are some things you should apologize for. For everything else, try saying thank you instead.