Thanksgiving Tips: Your recipe For Success This Thanksgiving...

With families come emotional buttons that have been embedded since childhood and are visible only to a select few. This can affect the depth and tone of how we communicate with those who have impacted our lives the most. Add to this the expectations of having the perfect family holiday and it is no wonder that Thanksgiving can feel more like a minefield than a celebration for those of us who struggle with our relationship with food. 



So, how can you show up for Thanksgiving this year in a completely different way and leave feeling nourished (instead of stuffed) and joyful (instead of disappointed)? By changing one simple but profound thing: your focus.

What might your holiday be like if you were to intentionally shift your focus from your relationship with food, to your relationship with the people that matter most to you?

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on our many blessings, not the least of which are the important relationships in our lives. You can increase the prospects of having an emotionally connecting and satisfying holiday with your family by doing only one thing in advance. Noticing your profound (and authentic) gratitude for the people who make a difference in your life. 



Here are three simple steps that can make gratitude and appreciation tastier than any prize-winning stuffing at your Thanksgiving table:



1. Make a list of the people you will be seeing who have made a real difference in your life.


2.Write down bullet points of the contributions each of them have made and how their support has impacted you.


3. Express these sentiments to them – in a letter, email, call, poem, conversation at the dinner table, etc.



What better way to set the emotional table for a heartfelt and meaningful holiday than by telling people how much they mean to you. Even if there have been hurt feelings in the past, if it is equally true that there are examples of loving acts, kindness, and compassion toward you, than remembering and being present with that reality will shape your life (and theirs) in immeasurable ways.

If you are willing to share what you love about the people closest to you, and how their presence in your life has made a difference, you will be amazed at how great you feel and how much easier family gatherings can be when people are in a state of gratitude and appreciation for one another.



Warning: This approach to being with others might feel so nourishing, that you may want to use it in daily life, rather than saving it for special occasions!

Have a wonderful and connecting Thanksgiving!