An Intentional Thanksgiving 2012

How to have a Stress-Free, Restorative, Thankful, Out of the Box, 2012 Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving begins our year-end holiday season. It's supposed to be a time of giving thanks and love but can you hear your moans and feel the dread in the atmosphere. Why? Often we get so caught up in the rituals and old habits that we lose sight of the deeper meaning and walk into Christmas and then the new year exhausted, having eaten too much, feeling irritated with our friends or family, frustrated from travelling in overload season, having spent too much money . . .

This year consider these out of the box ways of spending thanksgiving and make this Thanksgiving your best yet—give thanks for your love for yourself, your life and the people in your community.

Step One – Spend some time alone and/or with your family and friends exploring how you really want to spend this holiday, what you really want to do. Be creative: go to the movies all day long, order in pizzas, spend time alone and reflect on your life, catch up on sleep, go to Paris, make love all day . . .
And come to clarity for yourself and for your community.

If you are alone ask yourself do you want to be with people or not? Being alone doesn’t mean you are not loved or loveable. If you want to be with people find some people to join or volunteer somewhere.

If you want to do the traditional meal and gathering then do it with kindness and joy for everyone, the cook, the clean up crew, the set-up team, and practice acceptance, listening, and being mindful.

Step Two – Create a Plan or Follow your Flow

Don't forget to spend some time focused on the true meaning of Thanksgiving. It is all about giving thanks

• give thanks for your life, your breathe, the day, the air,
• give thanks for imagining that you have achieved what you desire
• give thanks for everything

Before we say goodbye – If you are addicted to Black Friday, how about going Cold Turkey. Just don't go. Stay home! Go Slow!

By the end of the weekend celebrate how good you feel and how grateful you are for changing the old ritual and creating a new one that serves you and yours.

Change is ahead!