Why do I apologize for decisions that were right?

You make a call, it is the right call, and then you find yourself apologizing for having made it. Taking up authority feels like taking up too much space, so you soften it with a sorry that the decision did not need. But an apology after a right decision does a quiet damage. It tells people the choice was shaky when it was not, and it tells you that leading is something to feel bad about. Deciding is your job. Doing it well is not something to be sorry for. Try separating the two. If a decision genuinely hurt someone, you can acknowledge that kindly, without apologizing for the decision itself: I know this is hard, and this is the call. Say it plainly and stop. You are allowed to take up the space your role actually gives you.