While I was interested to know how frequently they were apologizing, I also wanted to know why they felt the need. There was a common thread uniting all three. Jess, Natasha, and Chloe all said they apologized in moments when they felt uncomfortable asserting their authority.“I think it’s a filler word,” Chloe says. “I say it mostly when I’m a little uncomfortable with someone, and I’m not confident enough in the decision I’m making, or maybe it’s a little cloudy on whose responsibility it is.”There’s also an element of empathy in there. Natasha says sorry “if I hear about something bad happening to someone and there’s nothing I can do to fix it.” Often times, the “sorries” flow when there’s a mixture of awkwardness and empathy.“I IM with ‘sorry’ because I know I’m going to badger them about something and they’re busy, so it’s like, ‘I apologize for interrupting your really busy work day,’” Jess says.It’s easy to relate to that sentiment: We want to be liked, we want to feel like we’re all on the same team, and it can be nerve-wracking to interrupt your boss or coworker with a request. But are you putting forward a negative image when you say “I’m sorry” too often? Morning Joe host and founder of the Know Your Value conference Mika Brzezinski thinks so. In June, she got a lot of attention, after she offered advice for women trying to make it in media. At the top of her list: Stop apologizing.“It sets the conversation up at a disadvantage that you don’t need,” Brzezinski said by phone. “I think along with ‘I’m sorry’ comes the fluttering eyes and bad posture and maybe the raised shoulder as if to protect yourself from what’s coming and, like, just cringe-y, nervous, jumpy behavior. I’m asking women to own up to that, to stop saying they’re sorry, and to stand up straight and to look at people in the eye and be cool! Just be cool with yourself.”