Kind Natures
Strengthening Relationships Throughout the Holidays By Heather Sandstrom
W
hat better time is there to strengthen our most important relationships than during the holidays? The holidays can be joyful, but also one of the most stressful times of year. Many people find themselves planning huge events, decorating, buying gifts and budgeting, not to mention dealing with recitals, concerts, parties and family expectations and relationships, especially if they are splitting their time among multiple families. It’s important not to let our stress levels rub off on everyone around us, but instead to be grateful, happy, positive and pleasant to be around. I love the holidays because they are windows of opportunities to celebrate life with the people we love
the most and care about. Life is meant to be joyful and shared with people who love and support each other. The key to strengthening our relationships is to prioritize our attitudes and kind natures. It really is how we treat our family members and care about others as we go through our busy lives, especially during the holidays. Sometimes we need to focus our priorities and attitudes on being happy and grateful rather than being stressed and grumpy. We’ll still get our to-do lists done, but we’ll have greater peace of mind, make life happier for everyone around us and improve our relationships. Sometimes balancing time with lots of extended family can be stressful. Decide ahead of time your plan and be
Christmas is a time to “light the world” with family.
Photo courtesy of Heather Sandstrom
Dr. Paul R. Sandstrom 7448 E.Main St. | Mesa,AZ 85207 | 480.396.8684 | www.drsandstrom.com
Photo courtesy of Heather Sandstrom
Strengthen relationships at Christmas through family traditions and time spent unplugged and together.
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content with it. We can ask ourselves, What do I see and feel are the true purposes of the holidays? What are my favorite memories linked to during the holidays? Are they doing and getting things done? The quality of interactions with family members? A balance of giving and receiving? Think about where you spend the most time and energy. Who do I really want to celebrate with? What is my state of mind during the holidays? We can shift our focus from having a sense of obligation to really wanting to experience time and fun memories together. We can communicate with our family members how much we love them and appreciate being with them. We can plan fun activities to do together and really try to be available, happy and intentional rather than frazzled and frustrated. We’ll find much greater meaning and joy!
It’s a fabulous idea to think ahead of time, “I want to be more _____ and _____” with characteristics you want to work on: loving, happy, kind, forgiving, patient, playful, trusting, generous, compassionate, available, respectful, fun or empathetic. Then, try to be like that! Make traditions that everyone looks forward to, whether it’s sending family Christmas pictures and cards each year, opening pajamas on Christmas Eve, having a family dinner together, reading and acting out the nativity and story of Christ’s birth, singing and performing Christmas music, doing service for others, opening presents together, making gingerbread houses or playing games and sports together. When we show attention, appreciation and affection to our family members, we’ll find we had the best holidays ever!
