Christmas can be a challenging time for those struggling to grow their own family.
Sometimes, well-meaning family members may inadvertently ask uncomfortable questions about this subject.
In a world full of potential triggers from social media and beyond, it can be necessary to navigate our feelings to protect ourselves.
Emotional Support Practitioner Kelly DaSilva shared some tips with us about preparing yourself for the holiday season.
- Prepare Some Responses Beforehand: Take a little time beforehand to think about how you would like to respond to any potentially tricky questions. Pre-empting these questions is a useful way of protecting yourself and your emotions.
- Change The Subject: Give yourself permission to change the subject to something more light-hearted or simply say the topic is not something you wish to discuss.
- Talk To Your Partner About Your Anxieties: If possible, be honest with your partner about how you feel about the festive period, and agree on a sign when you both feel ready to leave the festivities.
- Practice Self–Care: Indulging yourself and having an “adults-only” Christmas is perfectly fine. Whilst it may not be the Christmas you had always imagined, it can be a lovely opportunity to create your own traditions or do something different.
Ultimately, Kelly explains, it’s so important to do whatever feels best for you and your partner.
Kelly stresses that it is OK to say “no” sometimes. It is not selfish but necessary to decline invitations to events that you know you will find really challenging.