I still apologise too quickly when the room changes shape

Dear Delyara, A sharp tone, an awkward pause, a misunderstanding, a look I can’t quite read — and before I’ve even worked out whether I’ve done anything wrong, part of me is already moving toward apology. That reflex did not come from nowhere. It came from years of learning that uncertainty in a room could become expensive if I didn’t soften it fast enough. So now, too often, I take responsibility before clarity. It’s exhausting. And sad. Because it means even neutral moments can arrive carrying old fear in their pockets.