The Strain Of Relationships at Christmas

Posts have been very sparse this year, now is the perfect time to rectify that.

As we come to another festive season, the media and Christmas cards paint a blissful image of excited children waiting for father Christmas to bring their presents, togetherness, happiness, laughter, tables laden with food, family and friends but for so many people especially Christmas 2023 that is far from the truth.

Christmas is for many expensive, overwhelming, stressful and a time of dread. The frantic rush of presents and food to be bought, family gatherings to be arranged. It is therefore a time when relationships are fraught and foremost on their minds.

However, for some, it is a time of deception, when the printed words of peace and love are in direct opposition to what they really feel inside.

And for others the Christmas period, especially Christmas day is a time of tears, sadness and loneliness as all they have to look forward to are memories of days filled with love, laughter, happiness, family and friends long gone.

“At this time of year, any relationships that are under strain may totally split asunder. As families gather together old animosities and rivalries can bubble to the surface. The mature approach is to just let them go, but it is not easy. It takes two people to have a disagreement. If one of them (you) decides that life is too short and makes a personal commitment to let the real happiness and peace that is Christmas become a reality, then there is no argument to be had. There is no point in winning a series of battles if you can simply end the war. All it achieves is ruin the Christmas festivities for everyone else around you.

Now is the time to be bold and review the relationships at home, work, and in a social environment, to create a strategy for repairing any relationships that are suspect and terminating those that are beyond repair. It takes inner strength to make the decisions and the commitment. Even small achievements can create the motivation. If you use your energy to perpetuate a feeling of grudge, envy or hurt, then you are using energy that could, and should be directed to more positive things, like building yourself the life that you truly desire”.

When repairing relationships there is no blame, no right or wrong. There is simply an outcome or result that arises from an action. If you can learn the actions that create harmony and peace, then the joy of Christmas really will, as the cards say, stay with you throughout the rest of the year. If you want to change somebody else the only place you can begin is with changing yourself. And, the only time you can start is right now.

Wishing you all a happy, harmonious festive season