Before we know it, the holidays will be here. For those of us who struggle with family relationships, the holidays bring up lots of feelings—not all of them happy. So how do we navigate through all these emotional “minefields”? The answer is to plan ahead!
Yes, plan out who will go where for which holiday and get any gift shopping done early. That kind of planning ahead reduces stress and gives you time to find solutions to any logistical problems that might come up. But you can also plan out how you’re going to maintain your boundaries with difficult family members and how you’re going to take care of yourself.
For example:
- Bring your own transportation to events so you can leave early
- Make a list of people you can call or text for support
- Learn “box” breathing, or other calming techniques
- Identify specific trigger points that come up every year and plan strategies to avoid or defuse them.
Take time now to plan what you need to say and do over the next two months. And if you need a professional to help you figure this out, the counselors at Millennium are here for you.
Hope these “tips” bring a better holiday season for all.
