Fixing Family Problems
No family is perfect, no matter how they might look on the surface. If you're someone struggling with family issues, we support you. These sensitive matters can leave you feeling alone and anxious, so we're here to provide you with useful tips and ways to put it behind you. After all, looking after your mind is key to looking after your entire well-being.
1. Take Breaks
Worried about a family get-together that's bound to make you stressed? Don't be afraid to take plenty of breaks whether it's getting some fresh air or simply removing yourself from the room. You want to stop your stress from getting too high while you can.
2. Recognize Your Stress Levels
You know yourself best meaning it's up to you to take matters into your own hands. Keep an eye on your stress levels and identify when things are getting too much for you. It's important to learn to recognize these triggers so you can feel more prepared to deal with your emotions.
3. Avoid Those Who Aggravate You
Just because they're family doesn't automatically make them saints. If you have a family member that treats you poorly or frequently upsets you, there's no need to hang around them to be pleasant. Put yourself first and avoid them if possible.
4. Learn Calming Techniques
When you feel your temperature rising (and we don't mean literally), it's best to have a handful of calming techniques ready to help you calm down. It may take a bit of trial and error to find out what works for you, but whatever it is (deep breathing, meditation, counting, etc.) use it to keep your emotions in check.
5. Build A Support Network
If you've got a complicated family, you can look elsewhere for support too. It's not just limited by blood! Turn to close friends to lend you a helping hand when you need someone to talk to or simply someone for comfort.
6. Connect With Caring Members
While you should say goodbye to toxic members of the family, take the opportunity to connect with those that care for you. Stick with them during family gatherings and surround yourself with their positivity and kindness. That's how family should be anyway.
7. Get A Lot Of Sleep
No one ever feels great tackling stress when you got less than three hours the night prior. If anything, sleep deprivation causes emotions to run at an all-time high! To ensure you're ready to handle whatever comes your way with a clear mind, get enough sleep and rest every night.
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8. Focus On The Future
It's never good dwelling on the past and thinking about old stressors. Try to look forward with a positive mindset and fix things that can be mended while throwing broken, toxic relationships away. Don't think about what can't be changed, focus on how to improve.
9. Practice Forgiveness
Being petty and holding onto old mistakes won't do you any good. If your family member is actively trying to make up for that past errors, don't hold it against them. Talk it out and embrace them with forgiving arms. It's the best way to move forward in life.
10. Know Your Worth
We know family is important but so are you. Sometimes, you have to place yourself first, especially if you're being mistreated. Remember, family members aren't automatically close to you - it's a privilege and right that needs to be earned. If they're causing you unnecessary stress without caring, consider if they're worth you mental health.
11. Place Boundaries
One effective way to improve your relationship with stressful family members is to set boundaries. Tell them clearly what it is you like and don't like. It's all about making sure they respect your emotions and well-being so you can try to reconnect in a healthy way.
12. Say No
Yes, you can say no to family members, even those who are older than you. Whether it's saying no to joining a get-together you know will do you more harm than good or saying no to a request that you're not comfortable with, there's so much power in this little word. It's the key to improving and reducing your stress.
13. Talk It Out
Keeping emotions all bottled in does no good for anyone. If there's a problem creating a rift between members, talk it out. Discuss your feelings, solutions, and a way to peacefully reconcile. If they truly matter to you, you'll do what it takes to smooth it out. Harboring such negative feelings only adds to your stress anyways.
14. Accept Your Emotions
It might be hard to stomach feeling stress and negative feelings toward your own family, but you have to face the truth. Step one to improving your mental health is to understand and accept the emotions you're feeling. Only then can you move forward and start tackling the problems.
15. Don't Feel Guilty
And once you start recognizing your emotions, don't feel guilty about them! You're not obligated to give your family so much leniency that it allows them to hurt you. If you feel a certain way, it's important you understand why and not beat yourself up over it.
16. Have Some Quality Time
Let's move away from the negatives to look at the positives! What are ways you can improve your current situation? Consider having quality time with family members to strengthen your bond. Who knows, it might just open up the room for conversation you've been wanting all this time.
17. Learn Conflict Resolution Skills
Is your family not the type to talk? If having heart-to-hearts or peaceful discussions is not your family's normal style of talking, learn useful conflict resolution skills that force everyone into having effective conversations. You need all parties involved to talk it out if you want to succeed.
18. Seek Therapy
For those of you feeling desperate, it never hurts to reach out to a professional therapist. A little bit of family counselling might do everyone good, and having an unbiased third party present might help you talk things through in a calm and careful manner.
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19. Practice Self-Care Activities
The best way to deal with any form of stress is to look after yourself. By practicing self-care activities you enjoy like reading, taking walks, or swimming, it can help you feel more capable in handling sensitive family manners. Besides, you need reliable hobbies that help you decompress after stressful meetings too.
20. Write About It
Need to vent but don't like talking to others about your personal life? Just write about it! Whether you want to document it in a journal or type it out in a Word document, getting it out of your system can really help with your stress levels. Plus, it's up to you if you want to discard them afterward or keep them as entries to reflect on later.
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