How to Recover When You Send a Text to Someone Who Shouldn’t Have Seen It
Technology fail!
Sending a text to the wrong person is downright cringeworthy, but there are ways to handle this faux pas so it doesn't end up becoming a huge deal that causes someone's feelings to be hurt, or makes you the butt of jokes.
Read on for how to recover when you send a text to someone who shouldn't have seen it:
Own Up to It
Sending a text to the wrong person immediately makes a pit form in your stomach, and that's totally understandable. The first thing you need to do if this happens is to go right ahead and own up to it, regardless of the content of the message itself. Though this might seem a bit counterintuitive, taking responsibility for your mistake is always a good place to start.
If the text was something innocuous meant for your mom or soccer teammate, it's safe to assume the recipient will laugh it off, but if the contents of the message is gossip or a hurtful comment concerning the person you accidentally sent it to, owning up to it is a crucial first step in doing some much-needed damage control. Though your first instinct might be to make up an excuse of some kind, chances are the subject of the text message will be more grateful if you just come clean from the start.
(Pretty Little Liars via Freeform)
Find Humor in the Situation
If the text that you mistakenly sent to someone else was hurtful but not earth shattering, try finding some humor in the situation. For example, if you accidentally sent a text criticizing a friend's new pair of shoes or haircut to that very friend, they certainly have a right to be hurt and upset, but it's nothing to the two of you can't get past with a laugh or two. Apologize for the criticism and use the opportunity to poke fun at your own texting mishap. A little self-deprecation can go a long way in a situation like this, and your pal will hopefully be able to put the whole thing to bed.
Apologize in Person
If what you said was really mean or insensitive, the next thing you should do after owning up to it via text is to apologize in person. As difficult as that may seem to do, an in-person apology is a necessary step if you're looking to truly repair any damage that may have been done. And while saying "I'm sorry" is no guarantee that you'll be forgiven for your words, not apologizing tells the other person that their hurt feelings don't matter to you, and that's probably not the message you want to send.
Talk to Everyone Who Might Be Impacted
In addition to talking to the person who received your text but shouldn't have, you should also speak with everyone else who was directly (or indirectly) impacted by the situation. That means coming clean to anyone else who may have been mentioned in the texts, as well as giving a heads up to the person who the message was actually meant for. Though this might seem like a lot of work, it helps ensure everyone involved is on the same page and will hopefully avoid any additional confusion or hurt feelings down the line.
(Pretty Little Liars via Freeform)
For more text-related advice, click HERE for info on how to keep the text convo going with your crush.