I’m a firm believer that actions speak louder than words. So if someone has hurt my feelings, a simple sorry isn’t always going to be enough to earn back my trust. I appreciate it, but only time (and actions) will tell if the apology was truly sincere. So if you’re looking to speed up the process of earning forgiveness, incorporating some humor into your apology might be the perfect way to do it!
Below, you’ll find photos of hilarious apology notes that Bored Panda has compiled from all over the internet. Enjoy scrolling through these silly ways to say sorry, and be sure to upvote the ones you might want to use the next time you’re in the dog house!
#1 Someone Left A Note In The Bathroom At Work
Image credits: DJTasty
#2 This Apology Note From My Husband
Image credits: femafaith
#3 “Sorry Kids”
Image credits: manderson81
Apologizing is never easy. Whether you’re filled to the brim with guilt or you feel obligated to say that you’re sorry, it can be uncomfortable to admit your mistakes and ask for forgiveness. How do you find the right words that properly convey how you feel and help you repair the relationship that’s been damaged? Unfortunately, it doesn’t always come naturally.
I grew up in a household where no one ever apologized for anything. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever heard my parents apologize to each other or any of their kids. We would have tension, take some time apart and then act like it never happened a few hours later. But that’s definitely not the healthiest way of dealing with (or refusing to deal with) conflict. Typically, a sincere, heartfelt apology is necessary.
#4 In The Coffee Shop
Image credits: jc201946
#5 Someone Spilled Chia Seeds At The Grocery Store I Work At And This Is How They Apologized. And No We Do Not Live In Canada
Image credits: KindaRustyy
#6 Our Doorknob Was Stolen At A Party We Threw Last Weekend. Today, It Shows Back Up With This Note
Image credits: reddit.com
Making apologies can be tough for a variety of reasons, one of which being that you’re never entitled to forgiveness. The right thing to do is fess up to a mistake and inform the other party that you feel guilty, that it won’t happen again and that you’re hoping you can move past it. But it’s up to the receiver of the apology to decide whether or not they accept it. So it’s best to be sincere when making a plea for forgiveness!
According to Harvard Health Publishing, there’s an art to giving heartfelt apologies. And step one is understanding where the other person is coming from. If you’re not sure if you actually owe them an apology, be sure to consider the situation from their perspective. Would you be upset?
#7 Was Wondering Where This Delivery Went, Then This Turned Up On My Porch
Image credits: TheXecuter
#8 There Was A Mix-Up With An Item I Ordered From China. The Seller Sent Me A Note And A Little Gift To Tide Me Over Until The Correct Item Arrived. 10/10 Apology
Image credits: FromCornerToCrumb
#9 Received This On My Door This Morning From A Neighbor In My Apartment Complex
It was so thoughtful and sweet! I rarely hear the doggo, and I’m okay with dogs barking. What a wonderful pet owner. I want to set up a doggy gift bag or something for her and her dog. Any ideas?
Image credits: Catluver6824
Next, it’s important to be genuine when making an apology. Even if you want to incorporate humor, because you have a close relationship with the person you’re apologizing to or the situation wasn’t very dramatic, you have to mean what you’re saying. To accomplish this, the late psychiatrist Dr. Aaron Lazar believed that a great apology incorporated four elements: acknowledging the offense, explaining what happened, expressing remorse and offering to make amends.
#10 Just Some Canadian Graffiti
Image credits: PigeonBoy
#11 Found This In My Bathroom
Image credits: imgur.com
#12 My Neighbor Is Horrible At Parking, So I Left A Note. This Is Their Response. I Completely Understand
Image credits: sergio_thebear
As with anything else in life, apologies aren’t only about what you’re saying, but also how you’re saying it. “I’m sorry that you feel that way,” sounds very different from “I’m so sorry that I made you feel that way.” Be sure to take responsibility for what exactly happened, and don’t use a passive voice. “Mistakes were made” is not the same as “I made a mistake.” And avoid blaming the other person for their feelings or your behavior.
#13 My Brother-In-Law Wrapped This Note Around Some Lottery Tickets And Gave It To My 9-Year-Old For Her Birthday
Image credits: Hoofhearted523
#14 My Brother Got Drunk Last Night And Left This Note For His Kids
Image credits: GDML
#15 Apology To The Driver Who Beeped
Image credits: reddit.com
Another key component of an effective apology is promising to change your behavior in the future. There’s no point in saying that you’re sorry if you plan on acting the exact same way tomorrow. Remember that apologizing is only half of the process. You also have to implement the changes that you promised and work on repairing the damaged relationship. Even if all you did was eat your pregnant wife’s last chocolate bar, you better be sure not to do it again. (And buy her more, so she has a healthy stash on hand!)
#16 Three Nights Ago, My Bike Was Stolen. It Just Turned Up Back In My Yard This Morning With This Note. Ain’t Even Mad
Image credits: seenic
#17 My Friend Had Her Bike Stolen 3 Days Ago. She Found Her Bike Back In Its Normal Spot Today, With This Note Attached
Image credits: MegaThrustEarthquake
#18 Flew Into DIA The Other Day And Saw This Ad. They’re Leaning Into The Conspiracies And I Am Here For It
Image credits: DimesOHoolihan
As painful as apologizing can be, research shows that genuine apologies can actually increase empathy and forgiveness among victims. A heartfelt apology can even decrease stress levels and reduce heart rate. And while it’s important to know how to make amends effectively, it’s also wise to know what not to do when asking for forgiveness.
Andrea Bonior, PhD writes for Psychology Today that one common mistake people make when asking for forgiveness is “retrying their case,” or attempting to explain why they didn’t actually do anything wrong. This is likely to only make the wound deeper.
#19 Apology Cookies
“I’m sorry you’ve walked in on me making out with your roommate three times and for making your home an uncomfortable place.
♡-Hannah”
Image credits: douchewithaguitar
#20 After A Pretty Raging Party, A Small Bag Of Things Was Left On My Front Porch With This Note
“Hey, I stole this stuff when I was blacked out at your party. I’m really sorry guys…”
Image credits: innervoicelarry
#21 I Got Drunk And Slapped My Roommate. Here’s My Apology To Him
Image credits: St1na
While a great apology requires you to promise that your behavior will change, be careful not to promise anything that you can’t deliver. If you came home late one night and forgot to inform your partner that you would be staying out until 2am, promising that you’ll never go out with friends again just isn’t realistic. Or if you’re uncomfortable with your partner tracking your location, don’t assure them in the heat of the moment that you’ll allow them to track you all the time. Be willing to change, but don’t overpromise. Or you’ll end up issuing a whole new apology soon after the first.
#22 Came Home To This Message From The Little Lady
Image credits: latherus
#23 My Kitten Got Mad Because I Had To Shut Her In My Room For A Bit. He Wrote An Apology Letter
Image credits: reddit.com
#24 Two Dogs Couldn’t Resist Eating The Mail Lady’s Lunch, Then Wrote Her This Note
Image credits: Carol Jordan
Dr. Bonior also notes that we can’t expect anything in return when we ask for forgiveness. If your behavior caused you to miss out on something, that opportunity is lost. You can’t simply apologize to your best friend and then expect them to give you the concert tickets they were withholding. It’s up to the other person how they want to proceed when an apology has been made. Don’t pressure them to accept it immediately.
#25 We Have All Been There
Image credits: loufenwick
#26 Apology Accepted
Image credits: eddg
#27 Apology Letter From Ex-Girlfriend
Image credits: bigmikesbeingnice
I’m sorry that this list isn’t longer, pandas! We hope you’re enjoying scrolling through these hilarious apologies, and please, keep upvoting the ones that you would happily accept. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article that touches on the importance of taking accountability for our actions, we recommend reading this piece next!
#28 Thanks, Babe
Image credits: Seahawks1991
#29 Parking Note
#30 Coworker Slept In Till Noon, This Was His Apology
Image credits: ShamPawnYa
#31 An Apology To My Future Self
Image credits: pimack
#32 Apology Not Accepted
Image credits: YouHavetheMusicinYou
#33 Mailbox Damaged – Found This Note
Image credits: BiggestSur
#34 I Work At A Vet Hospital. An Owner Wrote An Apology Letter For Their Pet
Image credits: Gracynvh
#35 My Friend Found This Note In His Car – Without Money. Major “What” Moment
Image credits: timshel_
#36 Wife Came Home To This
Image credits: madcowga
#37 An Irish Apology
Image credits: CherrySueDointheDo
#38 Someone Left This Inside My Gym Bag, What?
Image credits: zoltrules
#39 An Apology Letter I Wrote To My Mom 12 Years Ago
Image credits: skeletor69420
#40 Brilliantly Facetious Letter My Grandfather Sent To His Mother (And Father) During WW2 After She Had Obviously Complained About His Handwriting
Image credits: mrstody
#41 “Hi, My Name Is Jack. I Accidentally Hit Your Car”
Image credits: h2d2
#42 My Husband Paid For Breakfast With A Debit Card, Then Realized He Under-Tipped. We Left Some Extra Cash And A Note For Our Server Apologizing For The Oversight
Image credits: tico926
#43 “Burgers”
Image credits: Jboyd024
#44 Sometimes An Apology Makes All The Difference
Image credits: imgur.com