As adults with ADHD, we are sometimes taken aback by the consequences of our impulsive behaviors and thoughtless words. We may have unintentionally hurt a friend or offended someone close to us, leaving us feeling embarrassed and ashamed. Fortunately, there’s a way to repair these relationships –– it’s called a “do-over.” A do-over can fix all sorts of sticky social situations including those involving close friends. Let’s take a look at how adults with ADHD can restore friendships using this strategy.
Take Time to Reflect
The first step in repairing any relationship is taking time to reflect on why the relationship deteriorated in the first place. Ask yourself what you could have done differently and think about how your actions affected the other person’s feelings. This will help you understand why things went wrong and provide insight into what needs to be done in order to make things right again.
Reach Out & Reconnect
Once you have taken some time for self-reflection, it is important to reach out and reconnect with the person who was hurt or offended by your actions. This could involve sending an email, making a phone call, or even sending a handwritten letter if possible. Be honest about your feelings; explain that you recognize that you made mistakes and take responsibility for them. Apologize sincerely and don’t make any excuses or try to justify your behavior. Instead, show humility and express genuine regret for any pain caused by your actions.
After reaching out, give the other person some space; they might not be ready to forgive right away but they need time to process their emotions before deciding whether or not they want to accept your apology and move forward with the friendship. It might take days or months for them to come around –– so be patient!
Remember Why You are Doing This
Finally, it’s important to remember that putting in an effort now will likely pay off later on down the line—even if it doesn’t seem like it now! Taking steps towards restoring important friendships can be difficult but it is always worthwhile; when done correctly, do-overs can help create stronger bonds between people than ever before as trust is earned back over time. The ability to apologize for mistakes made in the past and then actively work towards creating something positive out of it takes strength and courage!
Adulting can often feel overwhelming when trying to manage relationships - especially when dealing with ADHD symptoms such as impulsivity or difficulty multitasking which can lead us into sticky social situations where we inadvertently hurt our friends or offend someone close to us without meaning to. Fortunately, there is hope!
By following this step-by-step guide you can use do-overs as an effective tool for mending broken relationships while learning valuable lessons along the way! At the end of the day, taking steps toward restoring important friendships is never easy—but it is always worthwhile! Remember that apologizing for mistakes made in the past takes strength—you got this! Good luck on your journey toward restoring meaningful relationships!
And, if you need support in applying these strategies, join us in our Agave App where you can find live support from our coaches. When it comes to helping you stay accountable to yourself whilst stretching out of your comfort zone they are a phenomenal asset to add to your tool belt. Lean more here.
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