We have arrived to what for many is the inevitable ramp up to the entire holiday season. Thanksgiving is days away and that gives way to the obligatory Black Friday craziness, which leads to a countdown of how many weeks there are to Christmas. That, of course, quickly pushes us into the New Year and an expectation to have the most amazing New Year’s Eve and to set transforming resolutions, intentions or otherwise to become a whole new you in 2018… but no pressure.

Just writing all that gave me some heart palpitations and a quick jolt of anxiety.

Instead, I offer an alternative, sit down today and think about how you want to feel on Thanksgiving, not what you want to serve, how you want the table to look, or whether you’ll have enough time to fully scour your home clean in the next 3.5 days. How do you want to feel? What kind of atmosphere do you want to create to encourage others to feel? (Try as we might we cannot make anyone feel anything)

What would make this Thanksgiving abundant for you?

So far I am thinking having fewer expectations for myself would be good. That has started with the decision to make less food. I typically get up early on Thanksgiving Day already feeling the time crunch to get it all done in time for gathering with my family. I end up exhausted before I even get there. So this year, I have decided that I am going to make just enough. I don’t need to replicate and veganize every dish I’ve ever had. I only need to make enough. We are never lacking for food and nobody will go hungry if I make a dish or two less.

I want to have the time to feel relaxed and, you know, grateful instead of stressed and overwhelmed. What would happen if you gave yourself a little more time and fewer tasks?

Sunshine & Sarcasm,

Lowi & G