Your aunt just asked WHAT?! 🫣
Prepping for uncomfortable questions at Thanksgiving
The fastest way to ruin a perfectly nice (holi)day?
Be on the receiving end of “well-intentioned” questions / comments from a family member.
This weekend my mom and I planned to spend a much-needed relaxing day together going to the better (farther) Target, grabbing lunch, and watching a Hallmark movie (Santa Tell Me).
Just as I was about to queue up the movie, she sat down next to me and said she wanted to talk to me about a few things.
My heart sank to the pit of my stomach.
I knew we were going to have what I’ve come to call a “You’re lovable, but…” conversation. The kind where you can be / do / have all kinds of great things but you can still be / do / have better.
This particular commentary was around my weight.
(Was that the sound of all the air getting sucked out of the room?)
I won’t get into exactly what was said because it’s painful and embarrassing, but my mood went down like a lead balloon.
I was not prepared for this conversation 🫠.
In two weeks we’ll be gathering around the table for Thanksgiving. And as much as they day is about gratitude (and pie 🥧), there are always complex dynamics at play when family comes together.
I’m sure many of us have, at one point, felt a pit in our stomach anticipating what questions, comments, or conversations we might have to field at a family gathering.
“When are you going to get married?”
“Still no kids?”
“When are you going to get a real job?”
“Why aren’t you drinking?”
“Have you gained / lost weight?”
Maybe you’re feeling this way right now. If so, I want you to feel mentally clear and emotionally strong.
I’ve put together journal prompts you can do ahead of time to help you prepare for uncomfortable questions / comments / conversations at Thanksgiving.
WRITE A LIST of the questions or topics you anticipate your family might ask you about.
WRITE A RESPONSE to each of these questions/topics so that you feel ready and resourced. Do you want to answer with humor when your aunt asks you why you’re not married yet? Just lucky I guess! Or, do you want to respond with something more cutting like, “I’m surprised you feel comfortable asking me that.” Whatever your response, practice saying it out loud so it feels comfortable.
PREPARE a list of questions that are much more interesting and engaging than someone’s appearance, relationship status, the kind of job they have, etc. Questions like, “If you could be on any reality TV show, which one would it be and why?” or “What’s your ‘Roman Empire’?”
This is a small peek of what we’ll be doing in my new journaling series, Happy holidays: Less chaos, more joy.
Happy Holidays is a 3-week mindful writing experience designed to calm the holiday chaos and amplify the joy.
Through thoughtfully curated journaling prompts you’ll:
Slow down and approach the holiday season with intention, prioritizing the people and experiences that really matter to you
Navigate holiday stressors so you can show up to holiday gatherings mentally clear and emotionally strong
Cultivate gratitude and strengthen the relationships you have with yourself and loved ones
Experience the powerfully meditative and restorative act of writing. on. paper.
What’s included:
Three live 1-hour interactive sessions led by me, featuring custom prompts and writing-based exercises to do in real time (and you know I’ll curate a selection of poetry and literature to serve as inspiring touchpoints throughout!)
Engaging group dialogue — totally optional! You can participate as much or as little as you like
Community, empathy, and connection with a group of like-minded humans who want to proactively enjoy the holidays (rather than simply survive them)
The dates:
Thursday, November 21
Thursday, December 5
Thursday, December 12
4:30PM PDT | 7:30PM EDT | Sessions will be recorded
Investment: $360
Journaling is a solitary practice, but it doesn’t have to be done in solitude.
Grab a pen (or pencil), paper, and your fave drink and join us every Wednesday at 9AM PT/12PM ET for a free journaling sesh.
30 minutes, 3 prompts, and a pretty much guaranteed transformation that will stay with you all week.
As one of our attendees said, “Alison [is] a dream to journal with. From [her] prompts to [her] energy, I LOVE being able to attend [her] sessions.”