Whenever you want to apologize to someone who has done something for you, consider thanking them instead.

Examples
• I trip and fall, and you help me up. I could apologize for inconveniencing you or I could thank you for helping me. 
• I refer to the fat guy statue in a Chinese restaurant as Buddha, and you politely inform me that it's actually Budai / Hotei. I could apologize for being stupid or I could thank you for making me smarter.
• I'm having an absolute garbage day and in the middle of an intellectual discussion with you I start crying. You stop talking, listen to me sympathetically, maybe give me a hug. I could apologize for being a mess or I could thank you for being kind.

In all these cases I’ve found that I end up feeling better about myself and more positive towards the other person if I thank them for helping me instead.