A better way to shrug off the holiday Scrooge in your life

The holidays tend bring out the worst in people. Whether it's being cut off by some jerk stealing your spot in the mall parking lot, having a relative pick apart your latest life choice or being subjected to a coworker's constant humble brag about finishing up her holiday shopping back in July, there's no shortage of not-so-festive scenarios that can leave your blood boiling this season.

In holidays past, I dealt with jerks by muttering back responses were decidedly more naughty list than nice. But over the last year I've been working on employing more empathy toward people, and it has definitely elevated my tolerance level (not to mention lowered my blood pressure) — especially when it comes to the Scrooges in my life. Here are a few expert tips for cultivating empathy that will help you deal with the annoying cast of characters that inevitably show up during the most wonderful time of the year.

1. Tap into the holiday stress you're feeling
Even if you've finished all your gift shopping like some kind of holiday unicorn, there's likely something that's causing you stress during the month of December, whether it's end-of-year deadlines at work, family obligations or a calendar full of holiday parties. Rachel Hershenberg, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University, says that tapping into the stress you're personally feeling is a great tactic for having empathy toward the holiday meanies in your life. "If you're running around feeling this way — stressed out, pressed for time, impatient — then the person who 'stole' your parking spot is likely feeling the exact same way," she says.
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