How to Handle Being Around Your Relatives During the Holidays
It is the festive season again and everyone knows just how busy and tiresome this season can be. In view of the holidays and the fact that almost everyone spends this time of the year with family, it is almost impossible not to come in contact with difficult relatives. You know how it is easy to avoid difficult friends and work buddies by just ignoring them? Well, with family, you can’t really avoid them for the couple of weeks you’re going to be spending together. So, basically you would need some pointers on how to navigate this situation and this article is here to help you with that.
Avoid Fights
As much as possible, when you go home for the holidays, try to be at peace with all family members. There is every possibility that during your visit, that difficult relative will remain so and it is up to you to let sleeping dogs lie. You can spot trigger conversations or trigger spots all around and when you do, try to avoid them. If you’re being cajoled or pushed into a spot where you would have to talk, you could say it is their opinion and they’re entitled to it. This is a safe option and it more or less says live and let live. So, wherever you see those kinds of arguments recurring, be sure to dodge them just so you all can have some calm during this season.
Have an Exit Strategy
When you are set to go home for your celebrations, you should have everything planned out especially if there are family members and relatives that you don’t see eye to eye with. You should be prepared and plan for awkward situations beforehand. You could prepare to use humor to bypass situations that otherwise could escalate. Or you could excuse yourself to play with your nephews and nieces or help out in the kitchen when it seems that a situation could get out of hand. Either way, you should be sure to make it out just so you preserve the integrity of your family.
Resolve
A lot of times it is easy to avoid situations or even the relatives that cause you pain. More often than not, a lot of people just love to relegate such people they cannot get along with to the background but here’s an unpopular opinion, you could actually take steps to resolve whatever issues or concerns you have with that relative. A lot of times, people form opinions based on life experiences or personal convictions and this is not something you should hate. What you should do is try to understand the unusual convictions of such a person and just maybe you both can reach a consensus after all. When you toe this line, you should also be ready to forgive whatever blunders that relative must have made so both of you can move on.
Everyone would naturally understand the place of family and the need to uphold family principles but this does not take away difficult situations and people. As much as it is probable to resolve issues, avoid open conflicts and just have fun during the holidays.
