Too many people experience holiday stress instead of holiday joy. The stress is from unresolved issues that arrive with the family members. Hopefully, gathering for the holidays is a wonderful, warm, and blessed time for most families. But for too many, it is "turkey and stressing."

Those unresolved issues mean you can't talk about them for fear of creating stress. Instead of wanting to be together and enjoying each other, you fear getting together.

When families get together, all of the family history arrives. And, for too many families - maybe yours - that isn't good because there is too much "turkey and stressing" served.

Holiday stress is too often part of the package. It's difficult for those families when unresolved issues are the giant "elephant in the room."

If you remember, one of the four typical relationship mistakes is "you keep the past in the present." That agitates and irritates family members and creates "ME Flashing" moments. So, family members "walk on eggshells," afraid they may say the wrong thing and "make someone mad."

"Turkey and stressing" anyone?

Watch and read Catalytic Conversations or  Difficult Conversations Done Right, a shorter version. Those will give you more details on how to be a catalyst for positive change. It is based on Galatians 6:1-5.