S1 Ep 5 The Art of Apology

In Season 1, Episode 5, The Art of Apology, of "Growing Older Together," Lourdes discusses the importance of forgiving yourself, something many people don't think about much. She tells a story from her own life about how hard it can be to see one's worth when facing tough times.

This episode aims to remind listeners that self-forgiveness is an act of kindness we all deserve. Acknowledging our worth and moving forward with compassion and understanding is crucial.

FOR EPISODE #5, PDFS TO DOWNLOAD:
* Steps to Self-Forgiveness
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T0w0Xuo1E_pIUdZ_tgkHf_nYyyexxsTQ/view?usp=share_link
* Self-Forgiveness: A Daily Practice
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y0jS8FjK44GFuOurw78r7sp3aZZvkuQH/view?usp=share_link

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Remember to subscribe and rate the podcast on your favorite platform. You can watch all episodes on my YouTube channels, access show notes, and enjoy captioned content in English and Spanish. Here's the link: https://linktr.ee/growingoldertogether.

You can also email me at podcast@lourdesdirden.com. Thank you for listening.

Transcript

[00:00:19] Welcome back to Growing Older Together, Season One. Echoes of the Past, Visions of Tomorrow. I'm Lourdes. Today, we're learning how important it is to forgive ourselves. Have you noticed it's harder to say sorry to yourself than to others? Saying, sorry to ourselves helps us grow and feel better. It's about letting go of self-blame and moving on. 

[00:00:50] I'm going to tell you about a moment that taught me the true value of self apology. Here's what happened. My [00:01:00] friend and colleague, Teresa, arranged a meeting for us with a web developer who was helping her with her site. Before the meeting, Teresa sent an email, highlighting my skills. She talked about how I helped improve my website. My skill and making podcasts and how I work hard to make sure everyone including people with disabilities can enjoy our content.

[00:01:27] After our meeting, Teresa had a heart to heart with me, 

[00:01:32] "Never apologize for your skills,".she told me. "You've built your own website, produced, recorded, edited, created podcast content, wore all the hats and made podcast videos accessible. 

[00:01:50] Her words hit me. Because I did feel somewhat nervous. Even though I created my own website, I am not a [00:02:00] web developer. And I started backpedaling. I felt a moment of insecurity and it showed in my words. So when I heard myself apologizing during the meeting, I said, "Why don't you finish telling us about your process 

[00:02:17] and if I have any questions, I'll let you know." I felt anxious and I started to doubt myself. I had not shared with Teresa that two days prior, my uncle had passed away and my mom's health was worsening. 

[00:02:34] Despite this personal struggles I had not acknowledged my own expertise. Or given myself any credit. It was a wake up call. I realized I had a lot on my mind. And even though I know my own worth, it did not show during the meeting. I owed myself an apology for being so hard on myself.

[00:02:58] I had not admitting [00:03:00] that watching my mom's health decline had been taken a huge toll on me. But I act like everything's fine. When I'm alone, I do cry. But when I am with my husband, he listens to me. And I always feel better when I let it out. 

[00:03:18] This podcast has also become a part of my healing journey. I love creating content and recording. I'm looking forward to interviewing people and listening to their stories. Sharing my story with you, is my way of saying if you're going through a tough time, it's totally okay. You are not alone. Even though I strive to be strong, there are moments I just need to stop, relax, take care of myself, and do other things that make me happy. Like for me, it's listening to scary stories. That's what helps me get [00:04:00] ready to face the world again. I really do like them. Next week, in the show notes, I will have a link for a free download of steps towards self forgiveness and how to add self-forgiveness in your daily life. 

[00:04:16] Remember, everyone makes mistakes. Apologizing to yourself is an act of self-love and an essential step towards healing. Have you ever had a moment where apologizing to yourself changed everything? I'd love to hear about it. You can find my contact information when you scroll down to the show notes. 

[00:04:43] In next week's episode, The Shadow of Regret, we're tackling something we've all felt at one point or another, regret. It's that heavy feeling you get when you think about something you wish you had done differently. [00:05:00] Whether it's a missed opportunity. Something you said, or didn't say, regret can stick around like a shadow. Following us through life. But here's the thing. Living with regret doesn't have to be permanent. We can learn to face, understand, and find ways to move past it. It's about looking at those 'What if" moments and realizing that every step we've taken, even the ones we regret, has brought us to where we are now. And there's value in that. 

[00:05:40] We'll explore stories of how people have confronted their own regrets, finding peace and even strengthen the process. It's about turning regret into a tool for growth, not a weight that holds us back. 

[00:05:58] So have you [00:06:00] faced a regret that taught you something? Or are you struggling with letting go of one? I want to hear about it. Sharing your experience could help someone else see their own regrets in a new light. Remember. It's never too late to change your story about your regrets. Let's talk about how we can do that together. To close. I like to share a quote by Billy Chapata 

[00:06:29] "There are apologies I'm still owed and apologies that probably never come. But by far the most important apologies are the ones I owe to myself. For not thinking I was enough. Not thinking I was worthy and not realizing my magic before." It fits perfectly with what we were talking about today, showing us how important it is to say sorry to ourselves. Okay, [00:07:00] that's it for today. Until next week, let's grow older and wiser together.