The emotion of guilt is a common feeling that many people experience. It is a feeling that comes from the knowledge that you have done something wrong, or that you have messed up and it can be overwhelming.
Guilt is an emotion that can affect your life in a negative way. If someone is feeling guilty about something, they might feel like they need to make up for what they have done. In fact, when a man has done something wrong and does not apologize for it, it can be an indication that he does not care about what he has done and doesn’t think it was wrong.
So if you feel that he’s feeling guilty to some extent at least, for what he has done to you. Here are a few signs that you can look for to see if that apology is coming your way any time soon.
Or if these signs apply, then it is safe to say that even though he doesn’t articulate or admit that he has messed up, wronged you, or hurt you, chances are he already knows it and feels bad for it to some extent.
Signs that he knows he hurt you or messed up:
1) He doesn’t mind talking about the past:
If a man doesn’t want to talk about what happened between you, then there’s a good chance he isn’t really sorry for what he did.
He may be trying to avoid confrontation or make himself seem innocent in your eyes and his mind. He may be justifying to himself what he has done to you and how it’s not that bad, in order to avoid living with guilt or thinking of himself as a bad person.
In fact, many people that don’t want to face the fact that they have messed up or hurt someone unnecessarily, will be in denial and act like the past or what they did never happened. They will not like the topic of what happened to ever be brought up and they might act aggressively if it did. That’s because they do not want to be confronted or reminded of how they acted and what they did to hurt you.
However, someone who has thought of the past events and their mistakes in private and has come to the realization that they messed up, will be more willing to listen if it’s brought up. They will be more willing to listen to what you have to say and may not look you in the eye but will still give you the time and attention you want to allow you to bring it all up.
2) He can’t really look you in the eye:
If he looks away or avoids your gaze, then this is a sign that he knows he has done something wrong. In fact, it is said that one of the best ways to know if you have hurt someone is to avoid eye contact. If he does not look away, then he probably doesn’t regret what he said.
Avoiding eye contact is a sign that someone knows they hurt you. If the person looks away, it could be a sign that they regret what they said or did and don’t want to look at you.
That’s because they’re scared that by looking at you they will be reminded of an ugly aspect of their own self because of what they did. A person that is in this situation, will always feel awkward around you and avoid you as long as the topic isn’t brought up, and as long as they didn’t ask for forgiveness or try to make amends, at least.
Either way, keep in mind that avoiding eye contact is one of the most common signs that he knows he hurt you or that he knows he messed up.
3) Change in behavior:
Signs that he knows he hurt you can be found in his actions. These include changes in behavior such as being less touchy, avoiding eye contact like mentioned above, no longer wanting to spend time with you, and more.
Any change in behavior such as not calling you, ignoring your texts, or suddenly acting cold towards you; can be the result of feeling bad about what they did. The change in behavior can also be seen in how they treat you after the incident. They may start to become more attentive, sweet, and caring.
Indeed, A change in behavior can be as simple as them not texting back as quickly or them not being so flirty with you anymore.
If he has messed up a lot and you two are not even talking anymore, then a good way to see if they feel remorse is to see their daily routine. Do they do the same things they used to do with you, do they have a lack of motivation instead and do fewer things? If the answer is yes, then it may be because something is weighing heavy on their conscience and that something may just be the mistake they made with you!
If you notice that he has changed his behavior towards you, it may be a sign that he regrets what he did or feel bad about himself.
4) He is apologetic:
If he starts to apologize, shows remorse, and makes amends then it is a clear indication that he has seen what mistake he made. In fact, apologies are the biggest and most reliable sign that a person knows they hurt you, and that they are regretful of what they have done.
He might not be able to say it in words, but his actions will speak for him. He might try to make you feel better by apologizing or saying sorry or talking calmly about what happened. Or, if he’s a person that has issues admitting faults and guilt then he may just do a nice gesture, buy you a gift or show a lot of care to try and show that he’s sorry.
5) He doesn’t make any excuses:
When someone does something to hurt you, it can be hard for them to admit it and apologize. But even though they’re not admitting what they did wrong, they might know at least that it is. However, if they make excuses or try to justify their behavior, then you know they don’t fully understand that what they did was wrong.
If he doesn’t make excuses or try to justify his behavior, then you know he understands that he messed up and wants to rebuild a bridge between the two of you.
The worst thing about making excuses is that it implies that the person in the wrong, may make the same mistake again in the future. And, that’s because they don’t fully understand what’s wrong with what they did and keep trying to justify it.