Notice how often you say “sorry” for things that aren’t wrong. Taking up space isn’t an offense.

Apologising reflexively is a way of pre-paying for being in the room. Sorry for asking, sorry for walking past, sorry for needing the thing you are owed. None of those are offences, and the habit quietly teaches both you and everyone else to treat your presence as an inconvenience that needs covering.

Count the sorries for one day, just the number. Then start swapping them: thanks for waiting instead of sorry for the delay, excuse me instead of sorry when you need past someone. Save the real one for when you have actually done something.