Now, what do I mean by that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a mama (and a loving, deeply invested one!), I often feel like I know best. Best for my kids. Best for my home. Best for how things should go. The funny thing is, my family apparently thinks “they” know best for their own lives. Imagine that! And if I\u2019m being completely honest, I don\u2019t actually love receiving unsolicited opinions either\u2014even from people I care about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So here\u2019s my gentle, loving challenge for this holiday season:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keep your opinions and advice in your lane unless someone merges over and asks for them.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This doesn\u2019t mean silencing yourself or walking on eggshells. It simply means being intentional. Before you share that suggestion, correction, or \u201clittle bit of wisdom,\u201d run it through two quick questions (plus a bonus one for extra clarity!):<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just because you\u2019re the parent, the aunt, the friend, or the one who\u2019s \u201cusually in charge,\u201d does not<\/strong> automatically grant you the right to weigh in. At work, your team may welcome your feedback. At home? Not always. Loving someone doesn<\/em>\u2019t entitle us to steer their choices.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask yourself: \u201cIs voicing this opinion in the best interest of the relationship?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n So often we justify our comments with, \u201cWell, it needed to be said.\u201d But did it? Or did it just create distance? Think of the classic example: you share your not-so-rosy thoughts about your friend\u2019s fianc\u00e9\u2014 and then they get married. Hello, awkward Thanksgiving dinners for the next 40 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even true thoughts can damage a tender relationship if shared at the wrong time or in the wrong way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the answer is \u201cno,\u201d then silence may be a gift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So what do you do instead of offering advice?<\/p>\n\n\n\n You get curious<\/strong>. You ask questions. You listen\u2014really listen\u2014with warmth and interest. You focus on understanding rather than correcting. You show love, care, and presence. That, more than any \u201cyou know what you should do\u2026,\u201d builds trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And here\u2019s the delightful twist: when people feel seen, heard, and respected, they almost always come to the magical moment where they ask, \u201cSo\u2026 what do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That<\/em> is your green light. That\u2019s when your thoughts will actually be welcomed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you commit to staying in your own lane this Thanksgiving, I can almost guarantee you\u2019ll experience more laughter, less stress, and deeper connection\u2014the kind that makes the holidays truly meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Happy Thanksgiving, friend. May your lane be peaceful and full of joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Please read these foundational posts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Best Life Dream Story<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Best-Life Definition<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Christy Largent<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Christy Largent<\/strong> is a motivational speaker, painter, and joy enthusiast based in Texas. After decades as an interior designer and professional speaker, she\u2019s now inspiring women everywhere to embrace their Empty Nest years as a fresh season of discovery. Through her art, writing, and storytelling, Christy encourages others to live with purpose, laughter, and faith\u2014because joy truly is made visible.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow her at ChristyLargent.com<\/a> or on Instagram @ChristyLargent<\/a> for a daily dose of color, creativity, and encouragement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We\u2019re rolling into Thanksgiving, and along with the turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, most of us will also have a big helping of \u2026 family. Kids home from college, grown children and their spouses, grandbabies toddling around, siblings dropping in\u2014for many of us, it\u2019s a full-on family reunion. And let\u2019s be real: the holidays bring…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":2517,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,202],"tags":[199],"class_list":["post-2514","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food-entertaining","category-holidays","tag-thanksgiving"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/livingyourbestlife60plus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2514","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/livingyourbestlife60plus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/livingyourbestlife60plus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingyourbestlife60plus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/35"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingyourbestlife60plus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2514"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/livingyourbestlife60plus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2514\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2516,"href":"https:\/\/livingyourbestlife60plus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2514\/revisions\/2516"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingyourbestlife60plus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2517"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/livingyourbestlife60plus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2514"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingyourbestlife60plus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2514"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingyourbestlife60plus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2514"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Question 1: What gives me the right to offer this?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Question 2: Even if I *can* say it, should I?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bonus Question: Will these comments help us connect?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nNew to The Best-Life Project?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Read More from This Author:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n![\"beautiful](\"http:\/\/livingyourbestlife60plus.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ChristyCruisePic-6-x-8-in-790x1024.jpg\")