Why Would I Say Sorry for the Expectations I Didn’t Meet?
Why should I apologize for not being what you wanted me to be? This question lingers, poking at the wound that refuses to heal. I’ve spent too much time trying to fit into molds that never fit, trying to reach heights that weren’t meant for me. And when I inevitably fell short, the world expected me to say sorry — as if being a human was a crime.
But I’m tired of saying sorry for the cracks in my armor, for the scars that map out my journey. Life isn’t about perfection. It’s a chaotic mess, filled with broken dreams and missed opportunities. Yet, somehow, we’re taught that to be good, to be worthy, we must meet the impossible standards set by others. We must climb higher, run faster, never falter. And when we do, we’re told to apologize for our humanity, as if our struggles are stains on our worth.
But I won’t apologize. Not anymore.
I’ve been told I should be sorry for not being enough — for not living up to someone else’s expectations. But what does it even mean to be “enough”? Enough for whom? Enough for what? The truth is, I’ve been more than enough. I’ve fought battles no one else could see, carried burdens that would break others. I’ve stumbled, yes. I’ve fallen, yes. But I’ve also risen, bruised and battered, but i’m still standing.
I used to think I needed to meet every expectation, that my worth was tied to how well I could measure up. But now I see the truth. My worth isn’t defined by someone else’s checklist. It’s in the resilience I’ve shown, in the strength I’ve found in the darkest places. And that strength is not something to apologize for — it’s something to celebrate.
So, why would I say sorry for the expectations I didn’t meet? I won’t. Because those expectations were never mine to begin with. They were the chains that bound me, the weights that held me down. I won’t carry them anymore. Instead, I’ll honor my journey, flaws and all. I’ll embrace the stumbles, the scars, the lessons learned in the hardest moments. Because they’ve shaped me into who I am today, and that person is enough.
I won’t say sorry for a being human, for struggling, for not being perfect. Instead, I’ll stand tall in my truth. I’ll hold my head high and say, “This is who I am. This is my journey. And I’m not sorry for any of it.”
In the end, it’s not about reaching the top. It’s about the climb, about finding strength in the struggle, about embracing the journey with all its messiness. So, I won’t apologize. I’ll keep moving forward, not because I need to meet anyone’s expectations, but because I owe it to myself to see how far I can go. And that, more than anything, is enough.
