Another round of holidays are here and for many, that means family conversations that make us want to run outside and stick our head in the snow. We all got some practice last month at Thanksgiving but as we’re gearing up for Round 2, we wanted to share some advice.
On our last podcast episode of the season, we talked to social psychologist Dr. Nichole Argo. She recommended approaching holiday conversations with two values in mind: curiosity and belonging.
You can ask non-political questions that get to the heart of our shared humanity, like “what does love mean to you?” or “what makes you feel a sense of belonging?" And if a political conversation does happen, try asking questions like “how does this make you feel?” or “do you have a personal connection to this issue?” Don’t just wait to jump in with an argument - listen to understand.
There is plenty of work to do next year but we don’t need to solve political problems at our holiday tables. Right now let’s focus on love, curiosity, and belonging.
Happy holidays from The Suburban Women Problem!
