When personal questions keep coming at a holiday gathering, smile and answer them.
When family asks about marriage or plans for children, you smile and answer. Only after you get home do you realize those questions made you uncomfortable.
Scenes
- It feels uncomfortable only after you smile and answer — When relatives ask about marriage or plans for children at a holiday gathering, you smile and answer. Only after you get home do you realize the questions made you uncomfortable.
- The answer comes right after the question — When someone asks, “Any good news?” you smile and add an explanation. As you prepare an answer before the question is even finished, you end up giving away more than you meant to.
- You decide how much to say — You can give a brief, factual answer to a personal question and then change the subject. The longer your answer, the easier it is for another question to follow.
- Give a short answer, then change the subject — Tonight, pick one question that makes you uncomfortable and practice saying a short answer out loud. Something like, “I haven’t decided yet. How have you been lately, Auntie?”
- Next time, your words may be a little different — It's okay if you can't say it right away. When you get home and think back to the question that made you uncomfortable, a short answer for next time may come to mind.
Stories by Baekho
- Baekho
- Rent day comes while I’m waiting for a reply.
- After the clash in the meeting, I can’t focus on anything this afternoon.
- I trusted a coworker with a task, but they changed.
- Recalculating living expenses after quitting, in a room away from home
- Starting over at the bank counter
- I went to the celebration, but why did it take me so long to give my team credit?
- As I put on my shirt, yesterday’s joke comes back to me.
- It’s true, but on my way home, I keep rephrasing it.