INSTEAD OF JUDGING AND BEING FRUSTRATED BY THEIR DIFFERENT CHOICES , CHOOSE TO PLACE YOURSELF IN THE SEAT OF THE OBSERVER , AND SIMPLY NOTICE WHAT ’ S HAPPENING .
Interacting with family is one of the most difficult parts of the holidays for most people . It seems like there ’ s no shortage of things to fight about , am I right ?
Half the family wants to eat in the living room and watch TV , while the other half thinks everyone should be sitting together at the table with no devices .
Aunt Suzy is on a diet and won ’ t eat what everyone else is eating , and you wonder , “ Is she going to stick with it this time ? Is she judging me because I ’ m on my 3rd slice of pumpkin pie ?”
Anytime family and friends get together , the mix of personalities and different views
may lead to kerfuffle , but it seems to get worse during the holidays !
To help our students successfully navigate holiday gatherings , Paul and I teach a tool called the Yellow Brick Road . Here ’ s how it works ...
You ’ ve probably seen the movie , “ The Wizard of Oz .” In the movie , Dorothy follows the Yellow Brick Road to get to the land of Oz .
In real life , everyone on this planet has an Oz , meaning something they ’ re trying to get to . It could be a goal , an outcome , your calling , your purpose , and so on .
Everyone is also on their own Yellow Brick Road , navigating the obstacles one square at a time to reach their own personal Oz . This includes you , your partner , family , friends , kids , co-workers- -literally everyone .
No two Yellow Brick Roads are alike , because no two people are alike . No one