Going home for the holidays is stressful! One reason why people have so much anxiety is because of the fear of judgement. People feel judged about their choices: work choices, lifestyle choices, relationship choices, even food and drink choices! One way to handle going home is to be the person that you would want to be with – someone without judgement. Go visit old friends and new, family you haven’t seen in a while or just last week, without ANY expectation of how you think they should be living their life. When you don’t have expectations, you can’t be disappointed. It’s not easy to be around loved ones without judgement, but here’s one thing you can do. Ask questions. Be genuinely curious. Try “What’s been going on with you since the last time we saw each other?” Or “Tell me something you’re excited about these days, or something you’re looking forward to.” At a wedding rehearsal luncheon today, we had a great conversation around people’s bucket lists! No judgement, just fun conversation around what people consider having on their bucket list. Plus, I had no idea my niece loved Harry Styles so much! Give it a try. Ask questions. Connect without judgement. And, have fun!
Your Head Usher,
Marilyn
