With the holiday season comes a lot of fun, but also some stress. The holidays can cause friction in even the strongest relationships – established and new. This is especially true if your relationship is already on shaky ground.
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Here are some things that you can work on this holiday season to improve your relationships, your outlook, and the level of enjoyment of your holidays.
1- Make It a Priority
During the holiday season, prioritizing your relationship may be especially difficult, but it’s important not to lose sight of one another. Find the time to reassure each other through words and actions of your love and appreciation.
2- Practice Saying No
Especially in this economy, more and more people are staying in instead of partying, cutting back on gift-giving and spending time at home with the people who are closest to them. After all, that should be what the season is about, anyway!
Fighting over money happens at some point in every relationship. It’s no surprise that holiday time puts an excessive amount of stress on a couple. Allocate amounts for certain purchases or activities. Put these amounts in envelopes. Once the cash runs out of the envelope, the shopping experience is over.
4- Share Responsibilities
Oftentimes the list of tasks falls more heavily on one partner who builds up resentment. Divvy up the responsibilities. Consciously communicate. Check in with each other every day to talk about how plans are going. Listen and re-negotiate tasks if needed.
You and your partner can plan a day in, watch movies, play games, just be together without any outside obligations. Put your phone on vibrate and go where the day takes you. Focus on each other and leave the holiday rush outside.
The festive season doesn’t have to be a nightmare, but it is a test on your relationship. With this in mind, you have an opportunity to get closer to your partner, improve your relationship, and have some fun when visiting friends and family.
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This post was written by Lani Gouws on behalf of The Bridge Therapy Center. If you have any questions or require more information, please contact Lani here: lani@bridgecentertherapy.com