From the reason why you’re still single to politics - there are many conversations that you’re probably already dreading about having with your relatives this Thanksgiving.
The good news is that according to University of Chicago behavioral scientist professor Nicholas Epley, our dread of these conversations is usually worse than the actual discussions themselves.
Instead of walking into Thanksgiving dinner with the intention of completely avoiding any type of deep conversations, experts actually say to embrace them.
- Having thoughtful discussions with your family members can be a wonderful way to get to know your family on a deeper level. On top of that, no one actually prefers shallow conversations as they can be quite boring.
- If you’re still hesitant about what kind of discussions you might blindly walk into, Talkspace therapist Elizabeth Keohan suggests coming prepared with conversation starters in advance and focusing on big life changes and funny stories to share.
- If that doesn’t work, go back to the basics! Thanksgiving is the holiday meant for showing gratitude so focus on that. Don’t underestimate how much the people in our lives appreciate hearing that we are thankful for them.
Source:Chicago Tribune