The 5-Step Cycle
📋 What it is
The full repair cycle: NOTICE the harm → ACKNOWLEDGE your part → NAME the impact → OFFER repair → RE-ENGAGE.
🗣️ Coach says
Here’s the whole protocol in order. Notice something’s wrong, own your part, name how it affected them, offer a genuine repair, then reconnect gently. You won’t always do it perfectly — but having the map means you always know the next step, even when feelings run high.
🧠 Memory hook
Notice → Acknowledge → Name impact → Offer repair → Re-engage. The map you follow when it’s hard.
😂 Giggle
Why is forgiveness more for you than for them?
Because letting go of a grudge lightens YOUR backpack!
😲 Whoa!
Having a step-by-step map for hard conversations lowers anxiety — your brain panics less when it knows what comes next.
✅ Quick check: What are the five repair steps, in order?
Say your answer out loud first — then reveal.
Notice, Acknowledge, Name the impact, Offer repair, Re-engage.
The 5-step cycle is the full repair protocol, in sequence.
🪄 Trick question: Can you skip straight to "offer repair" without noticing or acknowledging first?
Careful — think it through, then reveal.
It works far better in order — a repair offered without owning your part can feel hollow.
Skipping the earlier steps makes the offering ring empty; the sequence matters.
🧪 Try it! (2 minutes)
Walk through the 5 steps for a small made-up rupture, saying one sentence for each step.