Episode 72: Families, Expectations & The Danger of Nostalgia

This time of year can hold some pretty hefty expectations of what it means to be a family. In this episode we are talking about what happens when the reality isn't all that you hoped for and how to manage expectations of ourselves and others around the holidays. Families look different for us all and they are ever-changing, so if you find this a tough season for any of those reasons or you are feeling bound up by the nostalgia trap of wanting everything to be perfect and magical, this episode is for you.   SEND US YOUR STORIES! As always we love hearing from you and we are putting together a new call-in episode specifically around the best traditions, rituals or practices you have (or maybe had growing up) for Christmas or the holiday season. Send us your emails or voicenotes with your stories or experiences to [email protected]. Voice Note Submissions: Here’s what you gotta do: Set your phone to airplane mode (helps field off interruptions) and get the voice note/memo app up. (for iphones search your apps for "Voice Memos") Record your message by hitting the red record button, checking the time is ticking and holding your phone like you would in a phone call. (Ah, the good old days when people used to use their phone as a phone…) Keep it snappy! We will likely only use submissions that are around a minute long! Share the recorded memo to an email and send it off to us at [email protected] Pat yourself on the back for your bravery and technological prowess! Want to support us in creating Making An Effort? You can be our patreon for as little as just $5 a month and get access to extra content and first dibs on helping us with episode ideas and BTS features! Find out more here: patreon.com/makinganeffortpodcast