Conflict avoidance is often framed as cowardly, like you're hiding from an important conversation or moment of growth.

But if you don't have the time and energy, that is fine.

You know, they say the only argument with an east wind is to put on your overcoat, right?

Then put on your overcoat and enjoy your meal and then go home.

Hello, hello.

I'm Brittany Luce and you're listening to It's Been a Minute from NPR,

a show about what's going on in culture and why it doesn't happen by accident. Most Americans, including myself, will be celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow.

And while it's meant to be a time of family togetherness, sometimes this holiday

can make you never want to see your family again.

To go or not to go.

To fight or not to fight.

Well, our friends at Life Kit have tips for how to answer these questions.

They put together a toolkit that I think a lot of us will wish we had sooner.

So if your family tends to have more conflict than not, give this a listen

before tomorrow. Here's the host of Life Kit, Mariel Segarra. Hey everybody, it's Mariel. Okay, so picture

this. It's the holidays. You're having dinner with the family and you can feel a storm brewing.

Your brother-in-law starts to needle you about what you're eating or not eating.

Two of your cousins have started just lightly shouting at each other

or your aunt is asking your sister yet again when she's having kids.

You know, families fight, especially when they're all together under the same roof,

and especially if people are drinking, even though combat is probably not the reason you showed up.

What if we approached this differently?

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