Thanksgiving is almost upon us. The focus shifts from ghosts to turkeys, and before we know it the Christmas decorations will be up and carols will be piping through the speakers in every store.
Yes … it’s The Holidays!
What does Thanksgiving mean to you? Is it the food? Is it about spending time with family and friends? Perhaps it’s a time to feel connected to the founding pilgrims?
This year, I wanted to share my own Thanksgiving thoughts.
Let’s put aside the turkey, the stuffing, the cranberry sauce, and the pumpkin pie. Let’s focus on you for a change.
For much of the year you’ve been likely been caught up in the pressures and stresses of the day to day. At home or at work you’ve probably focused more on what you don’t have than what you do have. Well, at least that’s how my mind works!
Thanksgiving can be a time where you can slow down and refocus. It can be a time where you can thank yourself for everything you have been able to achieve so far this year.
Take a deep breath. Pause. Reflect. Take stock. Slow down. Step off that treadmill (or at least turn it down a few notches). Look around you.
Now exhale. Leave the stresses of work and personal life behind (and maybe of the election too). Ignore (even for a moment) the pressure and burden of hosting all your family for Thanksgiving dinner (and perhaps the fact that you’ll have to do it all again in a month!).
We don’t spend enough time praising ourselves for all our accomplishments. We apologize to others; with thank others; we go out of our way to help others; we listen to others.
It’s time to listen to your own body. Listen carefully to what it’s trying to tell you.
Block out the noise. Shut the door on the external stresses and pressure that you have welcomed into your life all year.
Take some time for yourself and try your best to slow down during the holidays. Sure, there’ll be family, friends and food all around you. But it doesn’t mean you can’t sneak away to meditate and re-energize; or squeeze in a yoga class or two. Gosh everyone else will be so caught up in everything they might not even notice you’ve gone!
Trust me, you’ll feel amazing and you’ll thank yourself for it … literally. And you might just find that you create a new tradition for yourself.
Oh and at the family feast, when your body tells you it’s had enough, that’s also a good time to really listen to it 😉
Happy Thanksgiving!