Santa Claus is giving us a "thank you" today
Have you ever tried swapping the word "sorry" for "thank you"?
For example:
"Sorry I'm late" vs. "Thank you for waiting for me / Thank you for your patience."
"Sorry I forgot." vs. "Thank you for reminding me."
"Sorry for talking so much now." vs. "Thank you for listening to me."
Showing appreciation triggers a much more positive feeling in both the other person and yourself than asking for an apology. Apologizing is often a learned phrase that we use without meaning it. Our reaction to a "thank you" is almost always exclusively positive, whereas our reaction to an "apology" tends to be skeptical or often indifferent. In addition, the speaker puts themselves at the center of attention when apologizing, while when thanking, the other person receives more attention.
Try it out today and give your fellow human beings 2-3 more "thank you" and observe what happens to you and your counterpart.