Feeling uncomfortable at family gatherings? How to deal with family during the holidays?
Family gatherings during the holidays can be rough for many of us. We have to see so many people and sit through so many awkward conversations about relationships and where our lives are going. Whether it’s one big gathering or lots of small ones, everyone could use a Christmas holiday survival guide if you start to think there are too many family gatherings.
There are times during all the festivities that we all get a little crazy and just want to run away and never return. So for those moments here are a few tips to help you survive your family gatherings.
Prepare a Christmas conversation starter list in advance.
So you have something to talk about during those dead air moments. Luckily, I have prepared the list for you.
Adjust your expectations.
After being away at school for a significant amount of time, I often forget just how crazy things are at home. However, this time around I is a little more mentally prepared. I lowered my expectations of the people around me. I have to recognize that they aren’t always going to be kind of good to me. That’s just part of it. I have learned to adjust my expectations according to who I will be around.
Identify every trigger you have.
This is really important to me because I have learned that certain things trigger every bad emotion I have ever had. So I have learned to recognize the things that cause issues for me and realize that not everything is bad. I need to be able to prepare for the things that are.
Figure out how to handle each one.
Usually, this means I just stay in my room all the time, but in the instances where I can’t, I have to do some mental reasoning. Similarly to adjusting my expectations, I have learned to remember that not everyone has the same thoughts and feelings that I do. It’s easier said than done, but it is possible.
Smile and nod.
This is something I do a lot. I just sit quietly and pray no one takes a turn on me. It’s a rather boring persona to take on, but it’s one I have mastered. It gets me through the really difficult times when someone is telling me something I either disagree with or simply don’t care about.
Have an ally.
For me, it’s my siblings. We are always able to make light of every situation no matter how daunting it is. We are all bothered and triggered by the same things as well so it’s easy to know when it’s time to go step in and save another person. We all have a pretty good idea of just how much a person can handle.
Self-Care.
Always remember that no matter what, you need to be taking care of yourself. These means don’t self-medicate with alcohol, don’t forget to step away when you have had too much, and take care of your emotional well-being. It’s important to remember you in the midst of all the chaos.
Make sure going home is in your best interest.
We sometimes feel obligated to go to family gatherings even when we know we don’t necessarily have to. If there is any family gathering that you don’t feel comfortable going to, don’t feel guilty for skipping it. Life is too short to force yourself to make other people happy when they harm you. Take care of your well-being and happiness first.
Those are my tips for surviving family gatherings. Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed my little survival guide. Check out my blogs to see if you will also enjoy my other cute kawaii ideas!