The holidays are a stressful time for family wellness and wellbeing, and nearly all couples have fights during the holidays. What you need to do is just take a step back and think about the bigger picture, as it’s much better in the long run if you can keep your stress levels low.
If you look around you, you’ll see holiday stress and relationship dramas everywhere you look – not just with your friends and family but also at work and in the news. Unfortunately, being bombarded with these kinds of negative messages can make you feel nervous and anxious about your own relationship. If you start thinking negatively, it’s far too easy to let all the little things turn into major fights.
Instead, you need to totally transform your mindset. Start thinking that the holidays are going to be great, and you are much likely to find that this comes true. Stay connected with your partner, and you are more likely to avoid those holiday blowups that everyone is so susceptible to.
One reason why many people fight during the holidays is that it is a time when you are obligated to spend time with family members. You may find that one half of the partnership is looking forward to seeing a long-lost family member whilst the other person in the relationship is resentful about having to spend the holidays with them.
A great way to avoid this is to make sure that you don’t plan to spend 24 hours a day with your family. Of course you want to spend time with them, but you don’t need to spend all the time possible with them, especially if you want to keep a happy, healthy balance in your marriage. When making plans for the holidays, make sure that you build in time to escape, just you and your partner, for a bit of one-on-one time together. You can go for a coffee and just have a chance to chat, clear the air and keep on track with your relationship.