Moving back to Arkansas has been a mixed bag of blessings. I’m grateful for the support I’ve been shown but along with that support comes all the old grievances families usually sweep under the rug. And in my family, we don’t just sweep it under the rug – we sweep it under, stamp on it and then move giant pieces of furniture right on top just in case “it” tries to break loose.

And when everyone is in such close proximity, it’s difficult for even the best intentioned folks to become entangled in misunderstandings and hurt feelings. So, in my last life coaching call, Jennifer Priest and I talked about what I could learn from this and how it would help me grow and how to handle disagreements with family. My ideal response would be to not react but rather respond from a place of compassion for the other person’s view while giving myself permission to have my own perspective. In doing that, it gives me space around the heatedness of the moment and not allow anyone to push my buttons or bring me into their own drama. Jennifer and I came up with an approach to remind me of this when tempers flare. Of course talking about it and doing it are two different things. We’ll see how well I can do this. If this last year has taught me anything, life might not be easy, but it often gives you just the lesson you need for growth.

Welcome back!