Surviving the Summer Social Whirl
Written by Professional Counseling Expert Ryan Kappel
At this point in the year it can be wedding season, graduation party season, baby shower season, and a busy time in general to balance a lot of social obligations. You may normally be that friend or family member who is faithfully at every event, but everyone needs a break periodically. Although some of these events are important for the people having them, they can also start to become very expensive and time-consuming for the guests.
Sometimes there are tough decisions to make, and you may not be able to attend everything. It’s not easy to know that you are potentially hurting someone’s feelings by not attending their event, but sometimes the responsible decision for you is to decline an invitation. There may be certain “can’t miss” social obligations on the calendar, but in order to make it to some of those with your sanity and wallet intact, you may be in a position where you have to make some sacrifices.
If you’re deciding to decline some invites but want to spare your relationship, make sure you give them some advance notice, and try to send a gift or at least a card. In most cases, as long as you aren’t continuously cancelling on the same family member or friend, people will get over it, and will appreciate the fact that you were still thinking of them when they get something in the mail. In return, the break will likely leave you more capable of enjoying the events that you have chosen to attend, and you can enjoy your summer!
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