(Ep. 66) Navigating the Emotional Minefield of the Holidays

What if the holidays don't have to be something you survive—but something you actually experience?In this special holiday episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Friese explore why Christmas and family gatherings can stir up so many emotional triggers—and how you can approach them with greater peace, awareness, and self-compassion.Rather than offering another list of holiday coping strategies, Laura explains how the Compassion Method helps you prepare from the inside out. Whether your triggers come from difficult family members, unmet expectations, loneliness, grief, finances, or childhood memories, the goal isn't simply to manage your reactions—it's to understand the wounds underneath them so your true self can remain present.The conversation is filled with practical ways to prepare before the holidays begin, from revisiting childhood Christmas memories to using the Remote Control Exercise and practicing brief moments of attunement throughout the day. The result isn't a "perfect" holiday—it's becoming more connected to yourself so you can be more genuinely connected to the people around you.In this episode:🔹 Why holiday stress is usually about much more than the holidays themselves—and what your emotional triggers are really pointing toward🔹 How childhood Christmas experiences continue to shape your expectations, reactions, and relationships as an adult🔹 Practical ways to prepare emotionally before family gatherings using the Compassion Method and the Remote Control Exercise🔹 Why trying to avoid difficult people rarely brings lasting peace—and how caring for your own heart changes the experience instead🔹 How to move through Christmas with greater presence, self-compassion, and connection so you're not just getting through the holidays, but actually living them📩 Get your free Weekly Dose of Compassion — two short notes in your inbox every week. One to speak over yourself. One from Laura: https://www.lauraduncan.com/pl/2148814868🔗 Learn more:https://triggeredandtrue.comhttps://lauraduncan.com