Surviving the Holiday Experience
For those who may not be looking forward to family gatherings, here are some tips to endure them
The holiday season is a festive time of year that most of us spend with our family and close friends. However, for many of us this time of year brings up old wounds and complicated relationships. We are reconnecting with people we don’t speak to for most of the year and now we are forced to try to make it work for the sake of the holidays.
Sometimes the thought of being around difficult family members can be so unpleasant that you decide not to go to a family gathering, but that decision also has consequences. If you decide to go for whatever reason, here are my five ways that you can enjoy your holidays in spite of your circumstances:
Be grateful for what you have. This is always a great way to center yourself and be present. Being grateful creates a positive mental attitude that can change your outlook on any given situation.
Avoid the negative people. If there is someone there who is obnoxious or looking for drama, just steer clear of them and find someone pleasant to talk to. Often the best people to hang out with in situations like that are the kids. I would suggest sitting at the kids table as a favor for the other parents. You can have a nice time chatting with the kids and avoid any confrontations with grown-ups who are acting like one.
Begin with the end in mind. Remember, you’re just there for a quick visit. It will be over soon and you will be able to get on with the rest of your life. If you can develop this mindset, you may have a higher threshold for patience with people‘s behavior and your surroundings in general. Even though it may be unpleasant, it’s temporary and it will be over soon enough.
Enjoy the moment. Take a nice deep breath and enjoy your surroundings. Trying to savor the food that you eat and the music that you listen to during the event. There may be other things going on but if you can focus on what makes you happy about being there then you will get the most out of it.
Focus on creating positive outcomes. If you can picture a pleasant experience with family members and your role in creating harmony, you stand a greater chance of showing up there and having a nice time. Much like any other aspect of your life, focusing on creating a positive outcome will shift your thinking and state of mind toward better results.
I am sure that there are many people out there who will have a wonderful holiday season without any blemishes. For those of you experiencing some difficulty with being around relatives please keep in mind if there are ways to manage the situation as we discussed above.
Please try to keep in mind that someone who is being difficult with you may be carrying around their own emotional baggage around the holidays (for whatever reason). Another explanation is that they are simply having a bad day.
I hope that you have a tremendous holiday season. By focusing on these five ways to enhance your holiday experience, I am confident that you will create a much better outcome and make the most of any family or work event. Remember to be your best self!!