Saying “I was wrong” out loud gets easier every time, and people trust you more every time too.

That first admission is hard, because it feels like handing over something you cannot get back. What actually happens is smaller and better than you expect: the conversation moves on and the other person relaxes. Each repetition lowers the cost, until the phrase is just a normal part of how you talk. The trust builds the same way, since someone who says it is someone whose other claims mean something.

Find the small one this week rather than waiting for a big occasion. A wrong date, a misread message, a bad call about where to eat. Say the words plainly, without the softening clause, and notice how little it costs.