The Overwhelm Cure8 Dec 2025

49: Are People REALLY Doing Their Best?

Finding Empathy and Peace at Holiday Gatherings

With the holiday season filled with a stream of office parties, celebrations, and family gatherings, it's inevitable …

We're going to run into "that person."

You know who it is.

The person you constantly find yourself judging or complaining about.

These people might even make you think twice about even attending the holiday party, because you'd rather not even deal with them.

Or you go to the event and end up having to participate in conversations you don't want to have, endure their boisterous behavior, or even feel like you need to take care of them.

Perhaps they simply agitate us.

They make us feel angry, frustrated, confused, and resentful. We might think, "If only they could have some self-awareness, they could see how they're impacting people!"

Then, even worse, we end up talking about them behind their back, making snide comments, avoiding them, and sometimes confronting them out of sheer frustration.

Unfortunately, this doesn't resolve anything. It only makes us feel like terrible people, even though we're the ones getting our buttons pushed.

In this week's episode, I'm asking a potentially controversial question:

Do you think people are doing the best they can?

How we answer this question might surprise you.

What you'll discover in today's episode:

Find out why asking, "Are people doing the best they can?" might be the most transformative (and controversial) question we can ask this holiday season.
Discover how harsh judgment of others is actually a mirror of our own internal perfectionism.
Learn when and how to set firm boundaries, even with family, to protect your mental health and choose peace.
How to let go of magical thinking and hoping others will miraculously change overnight is a recipe for frustration (and what we should focus on changing instead).
Understand the importance of accepting a relationship for what it is to find peace.

This season doesn't have to be a repeat of every December past. I invite you to do things differently this year.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction: The Dreaded Holiday Gatherings

01:26 The Problem with Difficult People

03:34 A Controversial Question: Are People Doing Their Best?

05:33 Empathy and Compassion: Changing Our Perspective

08:20 Setting Boundaries for Your Well-being

11:52 Self-Compassion and Extending Grace to Others

14:14 Conclusion: Prioritizing Peace and Joy This Holiday Season

Connect with me:

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