Although the holidays are a beautiful time, they can also be difficult for many reasons. Whether it’s unmet expectations, not having the picture-perfect Christmas, or dealing with tricky family dynamics, this period can cause struggle, stress, and shame. Joining us today to talk about how to navigate the holidays is Licensed Professional Counselor, Kate Turner who has recently closed her private practice and will be joining us at Mosaics of Mercy in 2021! In this episode, we talk about reframing expectations and getting to the true meaning of Christmas. Yes, gifts and cookies are great, but if they are causing so much stress and taking you away from your family, is all this trouble really worth it? Kate talks about communicating expectations with your family and how this will likely lighten your load. Another stressful part of the holidays is scheduling, which is why it is so important to set boundaries early on. We hear about how to gently yet firmly communicate our non-negotiables, and why we need to fill our cup before we make any commitments. Our conversation also touches on managing our expectations of others and remembering to laugh during this time. Stay tuned until the end for a special song to ring in the festive season!
Key Points From This Episode:
Tweetables:
“What is going to bring joy to me and the people around me? What is not going to cause me stress? What is really going to build me up instead of tearing me down?” — @kt_counselor [0:07:18]
“At the end of this holiday season, how do I want to feel?” — @kt_counselor [0:08:53]
“Zero out expectations and start from what’s best for me and what’s best for my family?” — @kt_counselor [0:13:38]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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