◦ This podcast is for all people, truth applies to everyone. Looking back at the last episode, I want to be clear that we are all inundated with messaging growing up, whether you are man or woman, the messages are different depending on who you are and what kind of culture you are raised in but we all have to evaluate what kind of expectations were set for us and whether we are holding onto those because we like the path that was laid before us or because we were told to like it.
◦Boundary setting~ especially with the holidays, since you became an adult how many years out of your adulthood have you truly enjoyed the holidays? Are we letting this time of the year feel like chores/ to-do list?
◦ Sometimes we might get stuck in traditions for the wrong reasons, because we are protecting others' feelings, or because we are just doing what we’ve always done. But have we asked if those traditions are the best version of the holidays we could have?
◦ Have we evaluated how we set our priorities? For each of us, what’s most important might look different, some of us might find it more important to do holidays with relatives we never see or speak with but for some of us the holiday season should be focused on the people who show us love year round.
◦ Do you want to start your own tradition?
◦ Are there elements of the holiday season that become a financial burden? It’s okay to draw boundaries around these things and problem solve what is more doable or makes sense for you/your household.
◦ Giving yourself permission to suffer less.
◦ There might be ways to “give” in certain ways that hurt less for you personally to make it easier for loved ones to “give” in the areas where you would like expectations to look differently.
◦ It is always harder to be the one left than to be the one leaving.
◦ It can be difficult for loved ones to understand how your work might affect your needs or availability during the holidays.
◦ Let us know how you have personally navigated the holidays!
