Why holidays bring up family issues

Expectations.

You have to be with family. You have to buy gifts and wrap gifts...

But that's just the beginning.

Who do you buy for?

Mom, dad, kids, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends, teachers and not to mention helping those who are more unfortunate than you.

Get a tree. Decorate a tree. Decorate your home.

Put out lights. Get wreaths. Candles, table cloths, center pieces, holiday cards.

And Norman Rockwell. How many of us have looked at his paintings with a longing and wonder... Who lives like that?

Familiy issues come up because we WANT to be happy, heart warming, nurtured or nurturing.

We want to be with our family because that's where we belong. We always will be a part of our family.

We all have a biological mom and dad. Ther's no way around that.

So unconsciously we will always have a pull to our past. It's a physiological reality.

So... Here we are, in conflicts with our family...

Not talking to them, not WANTING to be with them, but feeling forced to be.

And here we a... Out of work, or out of money.

We may be tired, depressed and have a hard time just getting through the day!

I don't have a magic fix. I want you to know that it's OK...

YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

All the feelings you have around the holidays are normal.

The number one thing you can do is take care of YOU.