Coping With Your Estranged Family Members At Christmas

 

Estranged Family Members at Christmas

 

 

Christmas is just around the corner, and it is a time for families to connect with each other, come together for celebrations, reflect on the year, and to look forward to the New Year especially to setting goals, and dreams.

 

 

Growing up, I was not a big fan of Christmas and even fast forward to now, it’s still a triggering time of the year for me.

 

 

I have memories of sitting around the dinner table without our absent estranged family members who my parents did not invite to have Christmas lunch or to the annual family New Year’s Eve party.

 

 

There are some of us who do not have that connection with our family members, we are estranged from them or have zero contact, and it is a subject that’s still a big taboo and a degree of shame attached to estrangement.

 

 

You may have decided to have no contact with your extended family dynamics for several reasons, whether it is to escape a toxic environment, verbal or physical abuse, a narcissistic parent or siblings, it might be to preserve your peace or your own sanity and safeguard your mental health and well-being.

 

 

Choosing to step away from the toxic family gatherings might just be your only choice! Instead, you chose to be your true authentic self and to live life on your terms and not have anyone fill you with any self-doubt about who you are. surround yourself with people you want to be around and who love you unconditionally and who respect your boundaries.

 

 

Here Are 3 Tips to Help You Cope with Estranged Family Members

 

 

Get Together with People Who Value and respect your Boundaries

You may be estranged from family members for some time you, may still be experiencing waves of strong emotions like deep sadness and guilt and anger.

 

 

Do your daily practices that will allow you to move forward. Get together with people who value and love you like your friends who are now your adoptive family, or other family members who you still have contact with.

 

 

Find the things that make you feel good about yourself. You will be surprised at how good you feel after getting out in nature and going for a long walk! Keep encouraging yourself that you have the right to take care of you. Focus on your self-care above everything else.

 

Be Mindful and Do Self-talk
Pay attention to what you are thinking and what you say to yourself. Take control of anything that makes you feel uncomfortable like those uncomfortable moments and try to find a new perspective.  Remind yourself that you have done the best you can. Be kind and compassionate to yourself, these feelings your feeling will not define you and you WILL get through this. Have the inner strength to move forward it can be hard to accept what you are going through.

 

 

Get the Support You Need

Whether you are experiencing prolonged feelings of sadness, depression or anxiety or just having a really challenging time getting yourself motivated, the support you need will be good for you.

 

 

Life becomes more manageable when we can move on. We can begin to live again, have joy and happiness, and have FUN! Even with the estranged family members in our lives.

Let Us Have a Conversation!

How do you cope with estranged family members during the Christmas Holiday

Season? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section.

 

Happy Holidays!