Navigating the Holidays

In this episode of Shattering Ceilings, we dive into the challenges the holiday season brings and explore how the people in our lives—those we share soul contracts with—are here to teach us something valuable. Join us as we discuss the importance of holding space for others, moving from a place of love and compassion, and setting boundaries when needed. This is the perfect time to put into practice all the tools we’ve shared on the podcast. Let’s navigate the season with intention and grace!

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Season 2 Song Credit: Dimitrex "Stinky Sax"
Season 1 Song credit: Fleece Mob "Will Travel"

Transcript

SC - Episode 116
​[00:00:00] 
[00:00:00] Lauren: Hey, everyone. Welcome to Shattering Ceilings. It's Lauren.
[00:00:09] Megan: And Megan.
[00:00:11] Lauren: Today, we are going to talk about something I saw on Instagram that is from a teacher About soul contracts. And I just thought it was so perfect, especially as we go into the holiday season. And he was talking about how our soul literally makes contracts with the people in our lives for a reason, right.
[00:00:34] Lauren: To teach us these lessons that we want to learn, like coming into this world. And this is something that I feel like we've talked about a little bit before. And I know me and Megan have kind of studied this in different courses and things like that. But. I really just wanted to bring it to the table today, especially because You know, it's Thanksgiving week, we're, we're probably going to see some relatives, some friends, and we're not always going to [00:01:00] see eye to eye with them all.
[00:01:01] Lauren: Right. But again, like, I want to remind us all that things are happening for us, not to us.
[00:01:08] Megan: Yeah, so on this like soul contracts right like I know I am definitely seeing more now than I would I heard about when I was younger like you choose your parents, right? We come into this world in this period of time for a reason because there are lessons for us to learn. So the holidays whether it's Thanksgiving or you know further along the holiday season that you are going to be mingling with family members that may be a little more difficult to be around.
[00:01:36] Megan: It's a really great opportunity to. Keep that in mind, like there is something, there's a gift, there's a lesson to be learned from these interactions, from these people, and really put into practice a lot of the things that we talk about here on the show, right? Practicing gratitude, knowing that everything is for you
[00:01:51] Lauren: I just think compassion, right, towards others, you know, because we're not,
[00:01:56] Megan: for different opinions.
[00:01:57] Lauren: yeah, we're not always going to understand [00:02:00] like why people say and do certain things. And I think for me too, the older I get and the more that I'm working through my own healing journey, right. The more I can really look at someone and see like.
[00:02:14] Lauren: Maybe something that I notice about them that I'm like, Ooh, that may be something that they're working through or a wound that they may have. And for me, it really helps me again, show them compassion and show them love and not get, you know, upset or frustrated as much. Does that make sense?
[00:02:33] Megan: Yes. And I, I think it's really easy to. Well, easier, I should say, to practice this with people that are further removed from your life, because we're entangled in different ways with the people that we care about the most. So, recognizing that, like, everybody's bearing their own burden, right? And it's not for us to judge what that weight is, how that weight looks, how it affects them, but I think as a general rule, like just assuming everybody's moving from the best intentions, you know, [00:03:00] there's always going to be that crotchety person that is who they are and they love to poke the bear or whatever.
[00:03:04] Lauren: sure.
[00:03:05] Megan: So what's the lesson in that, right? Is it setting the boundary? Is it stepping away from the conversation? Is it calling them out on their shit? Like, whatever, there's opportunity,
[00:03:15] Lauren: Or sometimes it's just loving them through it, you know, because like they're, I recognize that in people too. And I automatically go to, okay, why are they doing this? Why are they poking the barrel? Are they seeking attention? Are they see, like, are they feeling some kind of lack somewhere and they, this is their wedding to fill it.
[00:03:33] Megan: people are prickly because they are protecting
[00:03:36] Lauren: Yeah. Yeah. They have their walls up. Right. And so in this video, the teacher was talking about too, like that, these things that we often feel are problematic or like when it comes from our parents, he was talking about parents in general, like, You know, the trauma, you know, you may have experienced because of their wounds that they're actually gifts, right?[00:04:00] 
[00:04:00] Lauren: And they're gifts for you and for your family, like for your generations before you and after you to then take those lessons and do something with them to really grow from them, you know, to help heal, right? Those wounds that your parents may have experienced or their parents may have experienced so that you can, again, future generations to come, like they don't have to.
[00:04:22] Lauren: And you don't have to
[00:04:24] Megan: It's like planting the fruit tree knowing that you're not going to see it bear fruit in your lifetime, right? We're putting in the groundwork. We're laying the roots. And really like taking that panoramic view, right? And being able, it can be helpful to hold compassion. If we do step back a little bit and see where someone has come from and where they have come to, right?
[00:04:42] Megan: Like everybody is learning and growing what your parents went through. It laid the foundation for you to be who you are, right? And if they had been any different at all, you wouldn't be who you are today. And we can, who knows how that could have looked, you know? So [00:05:00] being where you are, right? Knowing what you want, where you want to go.
[00:05:04] Megan: That's what matters. We can't just hold on to all the things that have happened. And I know that that's easy to say. Coming from, like, a person that is happy to go to my holidays. And not going to be experiencing different, difficult conversations, right? But
[00:05:18] Lauren: But they can be even when, if you are happy to go, like I'm super happy to go. And then I know that, you know, we all have difference of opinions sitting at that table. And, you know, and some of us can say stupid shit. I know I can say stupid shit
[00:05:32] Megan: Especially once we've had some of that mulled wine or, you know, whatever. Holiday cheer everyone's imbibing
[00:05:37] Lauren: Or someone can just totally, totally take what you said and. Misinterpret it into something else, right? And then that can become what my mom would say a rigamarole. Yeah, I used to love when she said that, right? No, you don't even hear that anywhere. I love when people say it. I'm like,
[00:05:53] Megan: I don't even think that I've heard any old person say that in my life. That must be an eastern term.
[00:05:58] Lauren: it must be a what term?
[00:05:59] Megan: A [00:06:00] northeastern term.
[00:06:00] Lauren: I don't know. A rigamarole? I don't know.
[00:06:03] Megan: know. I'm going to look it
[00:06:04] Lauren: have to dive into that a little bit. But yeah, I'm
[00:06:06] Megan: Like, keep it. something Lauren's been practicing, and I think you mentioned it, right, on the podcast is,
[00:06:12] Lauren: This was a while ago, I think I mentioned it. Yeah.
[00:06:14] Megan: yeah, writing down and, like, keeping track of, like, how everything is happening for you.
[00:06:18] Megan: Right?
[00:06:19] Lauren: Yes, like the good things are always happening for you. I even have it as like the lock screen on my phone. It says I am the luckiest soul in this universe. The best things always happen to me. And then I have a list in my phone of the good things are happening. And I try to write one thing down at least daily so that I can go back and reflect on that list.
[00:06:40] Lauren: But also, again, we talked about this a lot, like training our brain to look for those things, those, those things. Those moments of gratitude, those, those lessons were learning the good things that do just seem to happen. And when you start to take notice of that, and you make that list, you realize that those things [00:07:00] also start to really pile up.
[00:07:01] Lauren: Because you're, you're bringing your, again, you're training your
[00:07:04] Megan: I'm focused on.
[00:07:05] Lauren: it's what you're focused on, right? And so that's one way I really feel that you can hold that big picture mentality and perspective, you
[00:07:13] Megan: And it's a way that you can prepare, like, think of, so we do, we talk about this here on the podcast. We practice in the small moments so that we're prepared for the big moments, right? Maybe the holidays are a big moment for you. So, preparing yourself to go in, we have, I mean, this will release on Tuesday.
[00:07:28] Megan: So, you have two days to sit down and reflect. to create that list, to think about maybe there's worse possible scenarios that you're really, really worried about, like spending some time with those and really working through them and thinking, okay, what, what could happen, right? And then you've already, you've already thought about it.
[00:07:46] Megan: You know what it could be. Do, do the prep work. Right. It's like reading before the class so that you know what the teacher is going to talk about or studying for the test. Like, this is your time to study. Really take it, prepare yourself so that you walk in [00:08:00] feeling confident that like you are ready for whatever comes and you can hold that space.
[00:08:04] Megan: You can keep that like emotion, that feeling, that Expression of gratitude.
[00:08:11] Lauren: Yeah. You know, it's like one of those things where you get to do something right. So it's what a privilege we have to spend time with people that whether we see eye to eye or not that love us and we love them. What a privilege to have food on the table. Right. What a privilege, you know, to wake up every morning.
[00:08:29] Lauren: What a privilege to grow old, like some things that we can look at. What a privilege to go to our job, right? Like, sometimes we look at things and it's like, oh, that's a burden or that sucks or whatever. But like, really, in grand scheme of things, what a privilege we have. And it really comes down to. What we make of it, you know, we are, we've heard Allison Gallagher's in our show.
[00:08:50] Lauren: I love it. You know, it sticks with me all the time, like you get to decide what this life means to you. And we always have a choice always. One way or another, [00:09:00] right? You do have a
[00:09:01] Megan: You are choosing one way or another.
[00:09:02] Lauren: Mm hmm. And that's a privilege in itself, right?
[00:09:09] Megan: We hope this was helpful.
[00:09:10] Lauren: Yes, I trust that it's helpful.
[00:09:13] Megan: Yeah. That's, yes, we trust that this was helpful for whoever heard it. You know, the holidays are really lovely and can also be, bring up a lot of other emotions, time of year, right? So do your best to take care of yourself and love everybody through the process.
[00:09:28] Lauren: And guys, you know, if you're listening to this and you're struggling Anytime not just holiday time, you know We are here to support you and we would love to hear from you And if there are topics that you want us to talk through if you don't want us to talk about it on this show But you want to You know, side.
[00:09:44] Lauren: Yeah, you want to have a conversation. You know where to find us at Shattering Ceilings Pod on Instagram. You can always hit us up and we are here. Me and Meg are very responsive and we'd love to hear from you, you know, because this really is short. Like, I mean, it does fill my [00:10:00] cup, you know, to be on this show with Meg and to talk about the things that are on our hearts.
[00:10:05] Lauren: But really, like, especially after listening to Justin's episode last week and his story about how, you know, he was thinking about giving up his pod and then someone reached out to him was like, I didn't take my life because I listened to, you know, your pod, you know? And I think that that's the responsibility that me and Meg hold and we don't take that lightly.
[00:10:24] Lauren: And you know, we're here, we're here, we want to support you.
[00:10:28] Megan: We do. I second that. So have a great holiday week, guys.
[00:10:33] Lauren: Yes. Thankful for you.
[00:10:36] Megan: Hmm.