Prioritizing self-care and safe spaces during the holidays

Hey all!!

So I just finished another Christmas holiday, and this one was a little different. Because this year, I prioritized my holiday time around close friends, parents of friends, and time with my sister and her family.

Unfortunately in my immediate and extended families, there is a lot of dysfunction that tends to manifest at full-force during the holidays. This mainly refers to a lack of communication, miscommunication, unfair assumptions being made, and just a whole lot of unspoken expectations that have led to a lot of hurt feelings over the years.

So yeah, this year I decided to have my own back, so to speak. And unlike in years past, I had no guilt or shame whatsoever in prioritizing my time around people that I felt safe (or safer) with. If anything, this year taught me that it's okay, even with family, to advocate for ourselves and where we want to be.

Have any of you ever gone through something like this, especially during the holidays?