So the invitation to come celebrate the Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's holidays with people that may or may not be a part of your bloodline has been offered. Yet, you are hesitant about attending. There are good reasons to stay home like peace and quiet for starters and your mind will come up with many more, but there are also good reasons to be at one or all of these events especially if you have any of the following: a small business, large family, not much money, unresolved issues, and feelings of loneliness and depression not excluding suicidal thoughts.
Attending a family event just might be very beneficial to you if the pros outweigh the cons.
1. Networking opportunities.
Whether you are unemployed, interested in starting a new business, or doing more with a hobby, attending a family event is a great way to test an idea, learn something new, and establish potential contacts/customers/investors. Remember, many successful businesses were built based on who owners knew that could help them. Who does your family and friends know?
2. Receive updates from relatives and family friends straight from them.
Why bother to keep getting stories about your family members through others when you can see how they are doing for yourself? This might also be a good time to clear up some rumors too.
3. Unexpected gifts and surprises.
You never know what seeing someone you haven't been around in a long time might do to that person. There could be a blessing right around the corner coming from a favorite relative and you don't even know it. So take those phone numbers offered to you and use them.
4. Free food.
If you don't feel like cooking or your refrigerator and snack cabinet doesn't look so great, why not eat somewhere else? Stay for awhile then take some leftovers home for the next day.
5. The possibility of meeting someone new.
Singles, relatives just might bring friends. If so, take advantage of the opportunity.
6. Squash old issues.
What better time then to show up to a family event with a huge smile on your face, emotions high, and happy to be around relatives? You can use this good time to squeeze in a few "I apologize" statements and "I love you, so glad to see you." If you owe someone money, bring some, if not all the cash you borrowed. If you asked for their items to use and never returned them, gather them up and take the products to that person.
7. Meet new relatives.
Far too many people take meeting new relatives lightly, but knowing one's relatives is important. It can be very easy to connect with someone who you didn't know was a relative while dating. Oftentimes, people miss out on great opportunities because they didn't know that they had an aunt, cousin or some other relative working somewhere.
So if you are doubtful about celebrating the holidays due to any number of reasons, try to talk yourself out of the negative self-talk. Stop by to see relatives if only but an hour or two if you live close by. Even if the welcome is dismal and not much is going on, consider this, life is too short and if someone died tomorrow, at least you can say, "I made the effort to see him/her--no guilty conscious here!"
If you can't make it to see relatives, at least give them a courtesy call, explain your situation, and wish them well.
Nicholl McGuire shares audio/video on YouTube channel:
nmenterprise7.
