Nashville's weather is so fickle. Take this week, for instance. Monday, it was in the late 80s, and then Tuesday, the high had the nerve to be in the low 60s. That’s why I try my best to take the advice of one of my late great-grandmothers who used to say that you should dress for the season, not the weather (and won’t that preach?). And so, while I ran a couple of errands on Tuesday, I had on a sweatshirt, some jeans, and a pair of flip-flops (hey, they were comfortable).
Now, I must admit that my feet “told on me a bit” because they were dry dry — which is what traditionally happens to them whenever the weather gets cooler. And since I don’t use lotion and “sealing my skin” with my current favorite oil (plum oil) typically isn’t enough, this is the time of year when I adore body butters the most.
Aside from the fact that body butters are great because they’re extracted from natural things like nuts, seeds, and beans, and because there is no water in them, body butters are also thicker than lotions and other popular body creams. Know what else? Body butters are really good for your skin because they come with all sorts of nutrients (including various vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, proteins, and antioxidants) sans any chemicals.
So, since we’re pretty deep into autumn at this point, if you are looking for a way to keep your skin soft, smooth, hella hydrated, and even glowing, here are 10 different types of butters that can give you exactly what you need — head to toe too.
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1. Shea Butter
Aside from the classic cocoa butter (which I will get to before this is over, for sure), probably the most popular body butter on this list is shea butter. Shea butter is actually a type of “fat” that comes from the nut that hangs off of shea trees (in West Africa).
Because it’s loaded with antioxidants, it contains antifungal properties along with ones that help to boost collagen production; it works well as a natural sunscreen; it helps to fade skin discoloration, stretch marks, and acne marks; it soothes eczema and psoriasis; it reduces the inflammation that is associated with arthritis; it definitely deeply moisturizes your skin, and it even treats dandruff (and reduces hair breakage) — how could you not have at least one tub of shea butter in your possession?
Anyway, because shea butter is so commercialized at this point, if you want to make sure that you are getting the kind that is as raw and unrefined as possible, there are some purchasing tips that you should check out here.
2. Hemp Seed Butter
So, hemp seeds are seeds that literally come from — yep, you guessed it, the Cannabis sativa, which is a hemp plant. That said, if you’re low-key wondering if they can get you high, they only contain an itty-bitty amount of THC, so…probably not. Anyway, hemp butter is good for your skin because the fatty acids in it are known to soothe eczema, reduce overall itchiness and irritation, and, yes, really quench dry skin. And since the properties in hemp seeds can also help to reduce PMS and menopause-related symptoms, you definitely should cop you some.
This particular body butter you can find on sites like Etsyhere. Or, if you’d prefer to make some from scratch, check out this recipehere.
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3. Mango Butter
A type of body butter that I can 1000 percent vouch for is mango butter. This kind of butter is made from mango seeds. Between the antibacterial and antimicrobial along with the antioxidants that it contains, mango butter will help to heal damaged skin cells, and moisturize your skin, and the salicylic acid in it will help to protect your skin from UV rays (which are around whenever the sun is out, regardless of what time of year it is).
Since mango butter is the type of body butter that won’t clog your pores or leave a greasy residue, you can use it even if you’ve got acne-prone skin. As a bonus, if you’re looking for a butter that will also hydrate your hair, mango butter can do that, too, while also serving as an all-natural heat protectant before using a blow dryer or flat iron. Awesome, indeed. Some places to purchase raw mango butter include here, here, and here.
4. Tucuma Butter
Tucuma seeds come from the tucuma palm tree that is in South America. It’s a type of fruit that has a ton of fatty acids in it along with antioxidants. The cool thing about this particular butter is it’s so good in the hydration department that a lot of people use it on their hair in order to smooth their cuticles and reduce frizzing.
And since it’s great for your hair, at the very least, consider applying it to your scalp once a week or even using it on the driest parts of your body (like the heels of your feet, your hands, elbows, and legs) after getting out of the bath or shower in order to properly “seal” your skin. You can get some raw tucuma butter here and here.
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5. Almond Butter
I already know. Some of y’all just read this one and thought it was a typo because, usually when the topic of almond butter comes up, it’s in edible form. Okay, but here’s the thing — did you know that almonds are really good for your skin?One reason is because of all of the magnesium and vitamin E that’s in it.
Another is because it contains properties that can protect your skin from UV damage, environmental pollution, and other things that can cause damage to your skin cells. Another cool thing about almonds is all of the vitamin E in them can help to prevent and/or reduce hyperpigmentation as the linoleic acid in it can help to hydrate, especially the skin of women who are going through perimenopause or are in postmenopausal. Another perk of almonds is they can help to prevent and/or reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
That said, a great (and easy) recipe for this type of body butter is to gohere to make raw almond butter; then add rosewater and some manuka honey (add as much as you want to get the consistency that you’d prefer).Rosewater contains antioxidants, reduces skin irritation, and hydrates. And, as far as manuka honey goes, well, check out “Manuka Honey Is The Ultimate Beauty Find” when you get a chance. It’s just what the title says that it is.
6. Babassu Butter
The babassu palm tree also hails from South America and actually, when it comes to the skin, it’s mostly used in oil form. What it’s best known for is speeding up the healing process of minor cuts and skin wounds as well as reducing the vaginal discharge that is associated with hormonal imbalances. Anyway, the potent amount of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, as well as all of the fatty acids in babassu oil help to moisturize your skin without leaving any greasy residue.
Something else that’s pretty dope about it is that studies say that babassu oil can leave your skin feeling soft and smooth without leading to any breakouts. There is a word of caution with this one, though. Some health professionals say that there hasn’t been enough research conducted to say that it’s completely safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women to use, so definitely speak with your healthcare provider if you happen to fit into either category.
For everyone else, you can purchase some babassu butter here, or if you’d prefer to go the DIY route, you can get the oil here, and a quick two-ingredient recipe is here.
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7. Cocoa Butter
As I said earlier, cocoa butter is probably the most popular body butter of them all — and with just cause. The saturated/fatty fats in the butter do everything from repairing the barrier of your skin and deeply moisturizing it to improving the elasticity of your skin and smoothing the appearance of scars and stretch marks.
Another thing to keep in mind about cocoa butter is if you happen to struggle with rashes from eczema or dermatitis, it can speed up the healing process of those as well. The vitamin E that’s in cocoa butter can make it a great all-natural lip balm on those cold and windy days, too. Cocoa butter is pretty easy to find. If you want it in its rawest form, though, some places include here and here.
8. Kokum Butter
Kokum comes from the seeds of the fruit of the kokum tree. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants, as well as the vitamins B and E, magnesium, and manganese that it contains, kokum is able to treat issues that are related to inflammation from dermatitis. Not only that, but when it’s turned into butter form, kokum is a popular skincare ingredient thanks to its ability to deeply hydrate the skin without clogging your pores in the process. And, since it has so much Vitamin E in it, you can also use it to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, fade scars, and soothe any itching that may come from having really dry skin.
Places like Amazon sell kokum butter in its rawest form. One merchant can be found here.
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9. Coconut Butter
Something that you’ve heard me mention several times throughout this article is fatty acids. The reality is if you want your skin to get and remain in peak condition, it needs those in order to add elasticity, deeply hydrate, speed up the healing process of surface wounds, help to prevent breakouts and slow down the aging process of your skin from top to bottom. Well, something that contains several different types of fatty acids is a coconut.
Aside from the other benefits that I just mentioned, another thing that is bomb about using coconut in the form of body butter is it also has properties that help to keep skin-related infections like athlete’s foot and cellulitis (a pretty serious skin infection that’s caused by bacteria) from becoming a real issue. Another wonderful thing about this fruit is it is an all-natural soother if eczema is something that you happen to deal with. Coconut butter can be purchased in its raw form at places like Amazon here.
10. Sal Seed (Tree) Butter
Yeah, don’t even get me started on the fact that it was hard to find a lot of scientific articles on this last type of butter. SMDH. That’s because, while the West likes to pump medication down our throats, natural approaches to our health are something that isn’t explored and/or shared en masse nearly enough (because it doesn’t make the same kind of money, and yet, I digress). And you know what? All that does is make me want to share uncommon natural things, even more, chile — like Sal seed butter.
A tree in India produces the seed, and it’s great for your skin because it is also rich in fatty acids — the kind that soothes super dry skin, helps to slow down the appearance of aging in your skin, and even brings relief to achy muscles. Matter of fact, after doing some extra digging, I discovered that many cosmetic companies like to use Sal seed as one of their ingredients (well, looka there). If you’d like to give this particular body butter a shot, especially as something to massage yourself with, you can purchase some here, here, or here.
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Okay, so if you clicked on some of the links of the various body butters and thought to yourself, “They don’t have the consistency that I’m looking for,” that’s probably because you’ve got whipped body butter in mind. No problem. After buying the raw butter, all you need is an electric mixer, some of your favorite carrier oils (to make the butter super smooth), essential oils (for fragrance), and a container (with a lid), and you’re good to go.
You can go here for a DIY whipped body butter recipe that you can read or you can check out a YouTube video on how to make your own whipped body butter here. When stored in a cool, dark, dry place, homemade body butter can last anywhere from 3-6 months — if you make some now, that can take you well into late winter/early spring.
So…what are you waiting for? Between the cold weather that’s steadily coming outside and the HVAC unit’s dry heat indoors, your skin needs the TLC of some body butter — and now, you know just the kind to indulge it with. Enjoy!
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Skylar sees things differently. At the time, she was shooting content on her iPhone. Temi came into the picture with a new perspective, an understanding of tech, and, eventually, a camera. “He doesn't give himself enough credit,” Skylar says. “He wasn't just my tripod. He wasn't just standing behind the camera and going ‘click.’ He was giving advice. He was giving me insight to how I could look at things from a different perspective. And I was like, 'Oh, he’s an artist.' I think it was maybe a heartbeat of that kind of energy of like, ‘Baby, can you take this picture?’ And it turned so quickly into, we're partners. We can work together in a way where we're advancing each other's creative thinking.”
The pair often says they’re two sides of the same coin. Skylar is an Aquarius. She attended art school, paints, and loves poetry. She’s more than happy to let the couple’s management firm and agency, Kensington Grey, handle their admin work. And, she loves to sleep in. Temi, on the other hand, wakes up early. He’s a Virgo. He loves a to-do list and regularly checks in on the couple’s brand partnerships spreadsheet to make sure everything is on track.
Because his storytelling was steeped in his love of technology, he didn’t always think of himself as a creative person. “Where I [am] the dreamer who wants to pluck things out of the sky and spend all day with my head in the clouds, Temi [is] so good at grounding me and helping me figure out how to make things make sense on paper. We just work together in such a complimentary way,” Skylar says.
It’s been more than six years since Brooklyn-based couple Temi and Skylar started dating, and nearly four since they cemented their working relationship. On TikTok and Instagram, the couple’s travel, fashion, and home content regularly rack up hundreds of thousands of views. They’ve worked with brands such as Coach, Aesop, Away, and Liquid IV, bringing their vibrant perspectives to every campaign they execute. Still, nearly two years since both Temi and Skylar committed to full-time content creation and creative directing, the couple says their romantic connection remains their priority.
“We told each other we would much rather go back to full-time jobs and preserve our relationship than to be full-time freelancers, barely getting a night's rest [and] barely kissing each other because we're so busy shooting,” Skylar says.
Working from home can make it hard to separate work from personal life for any entrepreneur. It can be even more challenging when your business partner is also your lover. Temi and Skylar had already used couples therapy as a tool to help them effectively communicate with one another. When they ran into challenges while working together, their therapist helped them set physical boundaries to help combat the issues.
"We told each other we would much rather go back to full-time jobs and preserve our relationship than to be full-time freelancers, barely getting a night's rest [and] barely kissing each other because we're so busy shooting."
“It actually took us doing very specific physical things to create boundaries between work and play in our relationship,” Skylar says. “So, for instance, we will only have conversations about work when we're out of bed or we're at the table or in the office. Initially, when we started, we had to light a candle to say that, 'Okay, this is a space where we're connecting, we’re not talking about work.' We needed really hard boundaries at the top. And then it became a little bit more organic.”
The boundaries have been crucial to implement, especially because the couple began working together so naturally. When the pair first met, Skylar was NY-based a social strategist for BuzzFeed and was using content creation to drive business to her lingerie company. She was shooting her own content. Temi was working for Microsoft in D.C. He’d recently traded in his DJing equipment for a camera. “I've always loved taking pictures,” he says. “Even when I was a kid, my African mother would wake me up at 3:00 a.m. [during a] party, and be like, 'Come take the family picture.'”
Growing up, Temi says he watched his parents support each other and be the true definition of partners. He knew he wanted the same for his own relationship. But, the couple also wanted to make sure they were being financially responsible. The pair didn’t quit their traditional jobs until they’d saved up two years' worth of their cost of living. And, Temi received his Master of Business Administration from New York University with the knowledge that it could either help him advance in his corporate career or be applicable to his business with Skylar.
Temi and SkylarCj Hart @hartbreakToday, they say their working relationship is more of a “quiet dance.” They still implement some of the boundaries they learned in therapy, but they also lean into their natural strengths and deep love for one another. When we speak, Temi has planned a date for the couple to see Princess Mononoke in 4K IMAX and added it to their Notion so they can factor it into their busy schedules. “I fully plan to date for the rest of my life,” he says.
Skylar says the couple doesn’t just wait for date nights to check in with one another, though. This often happens in the mornings, after Temi has made her peppermint tea and poured himself a cup of coffee. When they ask each other how they slept, she says, it’s not just a “nicety.” It’s a genuine question meant to foster connection.
“A lot of it happens during the day in the midst of work. We'll stop and we'll hug. Or we’ll slow dance in the kitchen,” she says. “Sometimes it's hard to set a whole date night when you have 7,000 things going on. So, we must grasp these moments and check in when we can. And I think it's become so organic to us that I actually didn't even realize how often we do it. But all day long, we're like, 'Are you good? I felt like your energy shifted,' because we're best friends, we just know. We just feel it happen.”
What’s better than being in love? Building wealth while doing it. Watch Making Cents here for real stories of couples who make money moves together.
Featured image by Cj Hart @hartbreak
From their perspective, their friend should simply know what they should and shouldn’t do. Yeah, one day, I’m going to write an article about how a lot of relationships could be spared so much drama if we all stopped automatically expecting others to think, act, and even love like we do. Anyway, my client did pause for a moment; then she shared that there was one thing, in particular, that she had told her friend that she didn’t appreciate and her friend just kept on doing it — so much to the point where it was starting to feel not only intentional but disrespectful too. In response to that, here’s how the rest of the dialogue between us went down:
Me: “Did she apologize?”
Her: “I mean, after I about lost it and told her that I was sick of her sh-t, she did. I don’t know if I can trust it, though.”
Me: “Has the action happened again since?”
Her: “The last time was only a few weeks ago. It’s too soon to tell. I know I’m starting to put distance between us, though. I’m not sure if I want to be friends with her anymore at this point.”
*le sigh* What to do, what to freakin’ do, when you’ve got a friend in your life who does something that bothers, offends, hurts, or harms you (because those are all different things, y’all), they apologize and you’re not exactly sure what to do with their apology. That is something that I’m pretty sure that all of us have gone through, probably more than once. If you definitely have, and there have been times when it’s left you feeling stumped, let’s unpack it all a bit — just so you’ll know how to move, with complete peace of mind, for the sake of your friendship and, most importantly, your peace of mind.
People with Regrets Apologize (and Every Self-Aware Human Should Have Regrets)
GiphySometime last year, I was talking to a friend of mine about his spouse. As he was raving about all of the things that he adores about her, something that he said caused my eyes to get semi-big: “I mean, she doesn’t believe in apologizing which can get on my nerves but that’s about it.” Whew, chile. Also, another article for another time: It’s very hard for a marriage to function, in a healthy way, if both people aren’t willing to apologize and forgive because there are going to be countless times when doing one or the other is going to be extremely necessary. Why?
Because we all make mistakes and sometimes poor decisions (and no, those two things aren’t the same either) must be corrected with an apology. Not only that but we all also experience times when someone needs to apologize to us and, because of the first thing that I said, we should forgive them and LET. IT. GO.
Yeah, those “I don’t apologize” people? Talk about folks who I don’t trust because that typically either means that they have way too much pride going on or they suck and taking personal accountability for their actions — and neither of those things makes it easy when it comes to trying to have a solid relationship with someone else. Honestly, the only kind of folks who “cause me to pause” more are the ones who claim that they don’t have any regrets in life. Truly…what in the world are you talking about?
If you’ve been rocking with me on this platform for a while now, you already know that I totally and completely loathe the saying, “I don’t regret anything” (check out “Why Regret Might Not Always Be A Bad Thing”). SMDH. Some statements, I just think that they have been popular for so long that people repeat them without really thinking about what they actually mean.
When it comes to regret, if you look up its definition, you should see the word “remorse” somewhere in there and remorse means “deep and painful regret for wrongdoing; compunction” — and if you NEVER feel this way, that low-key sounds like either you think that you never do anything wrong (which is a completely delusional mindset) or you don’t care to “right your wrongs” whenever you do them (which makes you a pretty unsafe individual to be around).
And why am I laying down all of this foundation? Because, before getting into how to discern someone’s apology, it’s important to first surround yourself with individuals who even get that they should apologize from time to time in the first place — not because you think so but because they think so. I’m telling you, it can spare you a ton of time and potential heartbreak to follow this tip.
I say that because I ended a relationship about six years ago, mostly because the person reached out to me to help them out with something, and when I wrote out a full email about something they did that was highly offensive and would result in my not obliging them — not only did they not apologize, they didn’t even acknowledge what I said. What kind of makes it “comically worse” (utter audacity-wise) is the few times that I’ve seen them since, they’ve acted like nothing even happened. Then I had to think back to other times when I’ve brought hurt feelings or offenses to their attention and how they would deflect, play the victim, or change the subject (bookmark that).
Hmph. We talk about narcissism a lot both on and offline — uh-huh, be careful about those narcissistic friends out here. They always want to be the center of attention. They constantly put their own needs first. They have a hard time forgiving and yet think that you should dismiss whatever they do that’s wrong (or damaging). I could go on and on about those jokers. For now, I’ll just bring this point to a close by saying that if you want to trust someone’s apology, you need to trust that they care enough to apologize in the first place. And lawd, won’t that preach?
Next point.
Karma Is Attached to Apologies
GiphyOne day, I’m also going to write an article about how much forgiveness tends to be weaponized — and how absolutely insane that is. Meaning, so many people think that they deserve an apology for all of the things that they do while others don’t — and that’s not really how forgiveness works. If you’re looking at it from a Scriptural standpoint, the Good Book tells us that if you want to be right with God, you’ve got to forgive other people (Matthew 6:14-15). Science says that if you want to be healthy, it’s wise to forgive as well. Adding to both of these things, since karma (which is basically just reaping what you sow) doesn’t discriminate, if you want to be forgiven in the future, you should forgive others in the present.
And that’s what I mean when I say that karma is attached to apologies. When it comes to some completely bold and If-I-were-a-different-type-of-person-things-would’ve-gone-very-differently things that have happened to me throughout the years — what has kept things peaceful and put me on a faster track to healing is choosing to forgive others; especially when they make a point to apologize (check out “How I Learned To Forgive People In My Life Who Weren't Sorry”).
Honestly, a part of the reason why I can do closure so well is because I can accept an apology. What I mean by that is I think a lot of times, we stay in “hamster wheel relationships” (same problems, no new solutions) or we’re so super devastated (because we’re not just sad, we also beat ourselves up with guilt and yes, regret) if something should happen to someone who we used to be in relationship with and it’s partly because we don’t accept apologies.
Me? I never want to be so high and mighty in my mindset that I think I can gamble my relationship with God or my health simply because I want someone to think that what they do and ask forgiveness doesn’t deserve mercy while I’m somewhere thinking that I should be pardoned for all of my mess. I don’t know about y’all but I need God’s forgiveness, plus, it feels good — cleansing even — whenever people who I’ve hurt or harmed have forgiven me and so I give forgiveness in order to receive it — because every single human needs to receive it.
Next point.
A Sincere Apology Doesn't Deflect, Justify or Play the Victim. It Takes Full Ownership.
GiphyNow that we’ve talked about why you should only befriend people who forgive and apologize and how you shouldn’t be in relationships if you don’t know how to forgive (and apologize) — let’s talk about what a sincere apology should even look like.
Years ago, I had a friend who violated a very clear boundary of mine. She kept trying to push something on me that I didn’t want to do until one day, she did it anyway. And boy, was I pissed. When she saw how angry I was, she called me crying and, although she did say that she was sorry, she also went into all kinds of reasons why she thought that she was the bigger victim. The more that I listened, it was like she wanted me to apologize to her for violating me (whew, chile). Yeah, don’t trust those kinds of apologies because they are chocked full of manipulation.
And this is where we start to tiptoe into the difference between accepting an apology and trusting one.
Since she literally said, “I’m so sorry,” I accepted her apology because, although I think that my discernment is pretty keen and she was trying to manipulate matters, at the end of the day, who am I to brush off her efforts to acknowledge what she did? Did I trust her apology, though? Absolutely not because to trust something, you’ve gotta be confident in it, and anyone who decides to make what they did to you totally about them? They don’t really get what an apology is all about.
Hmph. I grew up with people who would apologize and also deflect (shift blame, gaslight, go into semi-denial mode), justify poor behavior (make excuses, follow their apology with some long ass story) and/or play the victim (act like they are more hurt than you are) in the midst of their apologies and those types of individuals typically only apologize in order to “move on” from what they’ve done — not to really make sure that you are okay about what had transpired.
And those people? Whether they are too selfish, not self-aware enough or they’re simply ignorant about what a sincere apology looks like, if those three factors come into play, their apology can be accepted yet not really trusted in the sense of you believing that they will do their best to not repeat the action again. How could you TRUST it if they don’t fully OWN it? Make sense?
Next point.
Accepting Apologies and Actually Trusting Them Are Quite Different
GiphyIf you know that someday, you will need to apologize to someone, you will get again why I say that none of us should really refuse someone else’s apology. Another way of looking at this is if someone apologizes and you don’t accept it, it’s basically saying, “I don’t acknowledge that you acknowledge what you did that you are trying to take responsibility for” — and honestly, what kind of sense does that make?
Because while you are thinking that not accepting their apology is harming them, it’s really only hurting you because you are choosing to hold onto what their apology has actually released them from. Plus, y’all know that I am pretty word-literal and, at the end of the day, accepting an apology simply means that 1) you are responding to what they are saying and 2) you are receiving the effort. Over and out.
Now TRUSTING an apology? Again, that is something entirely different. I’ll give you another example. Everyone who knows me (check out “5 Signs You Really Know A Person”) knows that if I come out to a big function, that’s love — DEEP LOVE. Back when I was an entertainment journalist, I had my fill of stuff like that; these days, low-key is how I get down. Anyway, one time, a friend invited me out to a crowded and pretty important function. After a bit of convincing, I made the personal request of not wanting to go along with someone else in their world who I am not fond of (who they are now not even friends with because they discovered on their own just how shady the person can be).
My friend assured me that it wouldn’t be an issue — only for me to get to the place where we were meeting up and my friend then telling me on the way to the venue that the person would be joining us. When I tell you that we literally had the conversation about that not happening just a few hours before? Chile. My response? I left before we headed there and went back home. I am BIG on my boundaries being respected and I’m not going to be set up to be put in a position to somehow be the bad guy if I’m not kee-keeing with someone who I didn’t want to be around, intimately, in the first place. Plus, my friend needed to fully enjoy her night without worrying about what the energy was going to be like.
My friend owned that it was “bad business” to even move like that — that it was thoughtless and a bit manipulative on her part because a part of her thought that if I was pushed to the wall on the matter, I would just get over it. She apologized. I accepted it. However, I didn’t just accept it, I trusted it because, a few weeks later, she invited me to another event, out of state, all expenses paid.
Listen, if you know me, you know that it wasn’t the free trip that “moved me” because my favorite place is always gonna be at home. LOL. It’s that my friend didn’t just acknowledge what she did, she also took it upon herself to make amends — and that’s what a real apology should always include.
And what is amends? It’s “reparation or compensation for a loss, damage, or injury of any kind; recompense.” That said, when we really get the weight and magnitude of something that we’ve done to another person, it’s never enough to just toss a flippant “My bad” in their direction — it’s important to put forth the effort to set things right.
I got that my friend understood how much effort it took for me to do the initial outing with her in the first place because she took a few steps up from that and turned another event into a girls' trip — just us. That was a couple of years ago now. We’ve not had an issue in that lane since.
Your friend who hurt you and apologized? One way to know if you can trust the apology to the point where you know that it’s okay to move on fully from the matter is if they are willing, on their own, to make amends. If, in their own way, they ask you, “How can I make this right?” If you get that from them, I really recommend that you give them a chance because not only does it seem like their apology is heartfelt, but they also want to help you to heal from what they did — and at the end of the day, because none of us can change the past, just “own” our part in it, there’s not much more that a human can do.
Plus, people who go so far as to make amends, they typically also put forth the effort to try and change their behavior (or not repeat the action). And again, what more can you really ask for from any fallible individual (and we are all that)…right?
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No one is perfect. We’re all going to mess up. If you really get that, when a friend apologizes to you, let both of yourselves off of the hook and accept it. And during the apology, if they take full ownership which includes making amends, trust your friend enough to have faith that they will try to not hurt you, in that way, again.
Accept is about recognizing.
Trusting is about putting your confidence in something.
When it comes to apologies, specifically, I hope it’s easier to now know the difference.
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