Married at First Sight’s Paul C Brunson shares his tips for dating at Christmas
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Christmas might be the season to be jolly, but let’s face it — it’s not all mistletoe and mince pies. For anyone dealing with dating dramas or relationship stress, the holidays can feel more like a festive battlefield. But don’t panic! We’ve tapped into the wisdom of Married at First Sight superstar and relationship expert Paul C. Brunson, who’s here with top tips on managing the madness, setting boundaries, and slaying the season with confidence and style Don’t be hard on yourself.
“Christmas is becoming more and more of a season of loneliness, and a lot of pressure is being placed on people,” Paul, 50, explains. “A lot of pressure can be placed on people who are single, with family asking why you're not married yet. And also people observing their other family members perhaps partnered up—that exacerbates everything and then becomes a moment of stress.
Set boundaries. Paul encourages people to first be aware of how gatherings might affect them. “The first thing we should always be aware of is whether going to that gathering is going to be triggering, and if so, why? Outline your boundaries beforehand. The boundary could be as simple as saying, ‘All right, Mum, Dad, I'm coming, but no questions about dating, and no questions about the person I brought last year because they're not with me this year.’”.
Do things you enjoy. Paul believes that setting boundaries is key to protecting your mental and emotional well-being during the holidays. But he also stresses the importance of finding joy in activities you love. “Realize that this is your time. You can spend time with family, which is great, but you can also spend time doing things that you’re passionate about,” he says. “Maybe it’s going to see shows, attending a festival, or finally taking that photography class you always wanted to try.”.
