Observation Without Judgment | Holiday Series

SHOW NOTES: Episode 38

On today’s episode, I am starting off the holiday series. I know during the holidays especially there can be tough family dynamics, hard conversations, and different feelings that may arise, and I hope that this series helps you navigate those with a little more ease.

I want to share with you a topic that has been on my mind lately, especially with the holidays around the corner. It's observation without judgment, a tool that can be applied to any relationship at any time of the year, but particularly useful during the holiday season.

The holidays, as we all know, can bring out different feelings. They bring beautiful moments of joy and connection, but they also come with their fair share of challenges. It's easy to swing between feeling guilty for not being grateful all the time and being down about everything. I want to encourage you to find the middle ground where you can acknowledge both the beauty and the difficulties.

To practice, I want you to choose one person who you struggle with and focus on observing their behavior without labeling it as good or bad. Remember, it's important to set boundaries for yourself.

Before entering family gatherings or any situation where you know you are going to come across difficult people, practice this on yourself. The best place to improve relationships is with yourself. By observing your own reactions and emotions without judgment, you can start to release any negative feelings.

I hope that through practicing observation without judgment, you will find encouragement and learn something new about yourself and your family. I want you to continue on this journey of intentional growth and not give up even if it feels hard. The holidays are not just about celebration, but also about understanding and growing together.

Let me know what you thought about today's episode! Send me a DM on Instagram @marandakirk or an email to ru@marandakirk.com.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVERED:

• Observing without judgment during the holidays

• Finding a balance and avoiding extremes

• Tools for navigating relationships during the holidays

• Realizing when judgment is present

• Being intentional and persevering in the process

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

• Check out last week's episode HERE.

• Connect with me on Instagram: @marandakirk

• Want to be an anonymous guest on the show as we unravel a hard topic? Apply HERE!

MORE ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIPS UNRAVELED PODCAST:

Life’s greatest joy and greatest pain come in our relationships with others.  God created us for relationships so it's no surprise that we learn best how to navigate them…together! 

On Relationships Unraveled, we will create an inviting atmosphere for conversations that goes below the surface!  We will unravel stories and relationship dynamics of all kinds (God, Self, and Others), through honest and practical conversations that shock the norm to create new perspectives and understanding! I am your host, Maranda Kirk, and I use my faith in Jesus, passion, life experiences, and training as a life coach and Enneagram coach, to unravel ideas around relationships. 

On this show, we will talk honestly and practically about relationship dynamics we all face, so we can live the life we were created for, be an inspiring example to others, and ultimately fan the flame of relational wellness!  I learn and grow tremendously from the conversations I’m having with people, so I want to bring you along, in hopes that, by listening in, you will feel supported as you are challenged and encouraged to apply new ideas, understanding or skills to the relationships in your life and begin making the changes you desire! By experiencing small wins, we create momentum as we make progress!

Given my heart for conversations and relationships, I want to hear from you, connect with you, and cover the topics you want to learn more about! Connect with me on my website where you can join my email list, www.marandakirk.com  Find me on Instagram @marandakirk and Facebook @Maranda Kirk - Relationships Unraveled.