A statement of regret. (Example: “I’m sorry I used those words.”)
An indication of future intentions. (Example: “In the future, I will try to think about the impact of my words before speaking.” “I hope we can have a relationship of mutual respect.”)
Sometimes it is helpful to include an explanation of why the perceived offender acted in this way, but it’s important not to reiterate the offense or to give a flippant excuse or defensive justification. (Example: “What I did was a poor attempt at humor.” But not, “When I’m mad, I can say anything but I don’t really mean it.”)