How much room is there to disappoint each other? Kimberly Best, RN, MA, a St. Louis mediator and founder of Best Conflict Solutions, shares a personal reflection on family conflict and estrangement at the holidays. Drawing on research from John Gottman and Ed Tronick and her years in conflict resolution, she explores holiday tension, political differences, what conflict skills can and cannot do, and how to show up differently to create a better holiday experience.

Every year I write a holiday conflict blog. I do it because I know that many people – myself included - are silently struggling with the approaching holidays - the family dynamics, the old wounds, the exhausting expectations. And every year, I hear from readers who tell me something in these posts helped them show up differently, helped them breathe a little easier, helped them remember they had choices. This year's approach is about the most powerful tool I know.

For many of us, the holiday season brings a complex mix of emotions that can be challenging to navigate. Here's what to remember.