Many people find their romanticized ideas of the holiday season shattered by the realities of family tension, conflicting values, and old behavioral patterns reemerging. Throw in changes to eating and sleeping routines and it might feel like you’re merely surviving the holiday.

Resentment is a complex, multilayered emotion often associated with a perceived sense of unfairness or mistreatment, or unmet expectations.

Boundaries are really important. They represent our outer limits. They help keep us safe, aligned with our values and help us act with integrity.

But the way we’re talking about boundaries right now seems to be focused on self preservation and separateness with a lack of compassion and empathy (for self and others).