4 Tips to NOT balance this Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is such a special time of the year. Do you agree? It's a time when family and friends come together to spend time together, share a meal, and reflect on what they're grateful for.
But don't you find that it can also be a time with loads of stress and unnecessary drama? I mean, add up all the cooking, preparing, driving, flying, decorating, and coordinating up with high expectations, excitement, and even overwhelm, and what do you get?
Here are four tips to help you NOT balance this Thanksgiving and really enjoy your time.
Make a list of what you're grateful for. When asked what we're grateful for, it's pretty easy to come up with a few standard answers. But what if you set aside 10 minutes to think about what you're really grateful for? Make a list of 20 things that make your life so magnificent. Reflect on why your situation right now is ideal...I think you'll find a few surprises.
Accept help. Say "yes" to the guests that are asking if they can do anything to help. Delegate tasks like picking up ice on their way to the get-together, bringing dessert or even setting the table. Similar to the work environment, determine what ONLY you can do and delegate everything else as much as possible...you'll thank me later for that reminder!
Caution against making it all Pinterest-worthy. At a recent speaking engagement, a participant confessed to me that she wished she could be a "Pinterest Mom." She was feeling the pressure of making the homemade cupcakes and cute crafts for her kindergartner. The challenge is that if that's not who you are and you don't enjoy any of that, it will show...I promise. So if you're not a Pinterest-y kind of person, Thanksgiving isn't the time to try. Stick with the regular ol' selfies or family shots instead.
Keep it all in perspective. Take a deep breath and remember what this is all about. I recently heard a community leader say "Thanksgiving isn't about the dead bird on the table. It's about the live people around it." Isn't that true?
If you take the time to make your list of what you're grateful for and accept that help, you'll be better able to keep it all in perspective and truly enjoy your holiday.
As for not making it Pinterest-worthy, I am looking forward to seeing your Thanksgiving selfies on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! Be sure to use hashtag #BalanceIsBullshit so I can like it, retweet it, and comment on how awesome you are! ;)