Do you suffer from seasonal depression? Learn how massage therapy can benefit you in the winter months to come.

How to Handle Family Holidays with Grace

The holidays are here and for many of us, they represent a challenging time. It’s easy to be our best when we’re surrounded by people who think like we do and share our values. But the true measure of our emotional health and dignity is tested when we share our time with those who live differently than we do. Here are 4 tips to help you navigate the season with the ones you love.

Be Mindful

To ensure that you have a great holiday season, I recommend taking a moment of mindfulness before you attend each of your holiday gatherings. Remind yourself of the purpose of the event. Most people are invited to gatherings because they love each other as family or friends. When you focus on the reasons for attending... to honor the season, to wish each other well and to remember the good in the world, it gets easier to let negative things go as they come up in conversations.

Have Compassion

Age old wisdom is to avoid hot topics such as religion, politics, parenting differences and our values. But when someone else brings up any of these topics, it's important that you listen to their views and opinions in the same way you would want others to hear you... with acceptance, tolerance and respect for what you think and believe. You need to give what you wish to receive. So, I recommend offering that gift to others, even if you don't agree with their point of view.

Pick Your Battles

You may have a harder time having compassion when it comes to some topics. Maybe this is an issue you feel very strongly about, or maybe the opposing argument has triggered something personal. Whatever the reason may be, biting our tongues can be easier said than done when it’s something we feel very strongly about. Recognize and accept this before you find yourself in this situation and know when to pick your battles. We cannot control what others may say or do, but we can control the way we react to it.

Keep an Open Mind

Learning to co-exist positively with others who don't align with your perspective is perhaps one of the best measures of how loving, kind and compassionate you are as an individual. Don’t wait for someone else to make the world a better place but be the person to do just that with an open mind and an open heart.

About the Author Stacey is passionate about making the world a better place by helping people live happy and fulfilling lives. Many people spend a lot of their energy reacting to external circumstances, internal conflicts or they shut down in response to stress and anxiety. Most people feel they don't spend enough time being deliberate, strategic and intentional about creating their personal and professional lives and relationships.   Stacey’s JumpStart Seminar gives you an opportunity to think big-picture about what you want your life to look like and then to explore the obstacles that get in the way of achieving your success. She guides you through exercises that will help you evaluate your priorities, improve your attitude and outlook, and empower you to make immediate changes in your life that will help you enhance your overall life balance and peace of mind.  Her goal is to leave you feeling motivated and inspired to develop the best version of yourself today.