Wow! Hasn’t this year gone so fast?! Here we are again preparing for the holiday season – decorations, menus, gifts to buy or make, parties to attend, family members to invite to our upcoming celebrations. It’s alway very busy, but full of opportunities to make good memories. Let’s be honest, occasionally, some not so good memories are made too. But, ultimately, we all desire to make our family gatherings a positive experience.
Maybe, as we prepare for this season, it would be good to focus on what’s really important, like being able to spend time with those who are important to us and having the opportunity to let them know that we love them. Even if we can’t be physically together with everyone we care about, this time of the year gives us a reason to reach out to those who are far away.
To help this time of the year go more smoothly, here are some helpful tips for making family gatherings more positive during this holiday season:
- Set boundaries to reduce anxiety and depression.
- Be realistic: Expect the unexpected and remember that no family is perfect.
- Prioritize self-care. Learn to step away and breathe.
- Express gratitude to help build deeper relationships with others.
- Plan ahead to reduce stress.
- Don’t try to fix others: Remember that families don’t have to agree.
- Soften your expectations: Let go of expectations of how the celebrations should go.
- Focus on the positive.
- Practice the art of forgiveness.
- Embrace generosity.
This holiday season, put some of these tips into practice, relax more, count your blessings, and enjoy the people in your life as you make your memories!