3 Things You Can do to Make Thanksgiving Even MORE Enjoyable!
Tarah Avery
Noun:
thanks·giv·ing | \ thaŋ(k)s-ˈgi-viŋ also ˈthaŋ(k)s-ˌgi- \
Definition of thanksgiving
1: a. capitalized : THANKSGIVING DAY
b: a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness
2: the act of giving thanks
3: a prayer expressing gratitude
Wow! These definitions blow my mind. They are all so intertwined!
In the act of acknowledging and proclaiming who God is (the celebration of divine goodness / def. #1), we naturally flow into giving thanks (def. #2) and expressing our gratitude (def. #3).
How often do I forget to do that on a given day? Or week? Or all year round until this holiday pops up in the calendar?
It’s easy to walk through life always striving for more. More weight lost, more money made, more fancy clothes, more nice things, more travel, more love, more acknowledgment, more, more, MORE. It made me kinda sick just writing that.
Can I tell you something friend? It’s OK to stop for a moment. It’s OK to rest. It’s OK not to strive all the time. And when we can learn to be ok with not being ok all the time (or being perfect) then we can finally find ourselves in a place to receive more contentment, more joy, more gratitude, and more thanks.
So as I’ve been pondering this holiday it came to my mind that there are 3 things we can do to make Thanksgiving more enjoyable not only for ourselves but for our loved ones as well! Here they are:
Fast from Social Media.
Unplugging is one of the greatest exercises in presence and joy.
Comparison is one of the ugly culprits of feelings of dissatisfaction. And I don’t know if there is a place that causes us (and myself) to compare ourselves more than on social media.
I know, I know, it will be hard not to post our pictures of the thanksgiving dinner or place settings, but you can do it, I believe in you!
Honestly, the world will be OK without you posting on social media this week. After all, isn’t Thanksgiving a time to celebrate with those who are closest to you? And I don’t think your 1,000 Insta or FB friends are going to mind.
Remember how we used to get a school week off during Thanksgiving week. Well, let’s dip our toes back into childhood and take a day (or a week) off from social media.
Try to be Consciously Present.
All-day long. What a better gift to give yourself and your loved ones than being present this Thanksgiving Day?
These days with work email, social media, Netflix & Hulu, our minds are in constant stimulation.
Guys, I struggle with this! If Gordon and I are watching Stranger Things (woot!) for example, and he gets up to make a snack, I can’t just sit there and wait…the first thing I do is grab my phone and scroll social media.
The art of “boredom” is lost to us. Did you know it’s actually healthy for us to get bored, it gives our minds a rest? I mean my poor brain! I usually can’t go even 5 minutes without some sort of stimulation – usually through technology.
Make thanksgiving all about trying (to make an effort) to be consciously present all day long. If it helps to turn off your phone or throw the paper and it’s Black Friday ads out the window, because who really cares about “Black Friday” on the one day we’re supposed to try and be thankful throughout the year (OK. I may have a beef with Black Friday. But can you blame anyone!?)?
Write a List of What You’re Thankful for.
To go a step further, share them with your family! I do this because I’ve learned that gratitude turns what we have (no matter how little or how much) into enough.⠀
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It’s easy to find myself making giant lists of all the things I want but don’t have. I have a whole amazon wish list full of things! I bet you can relate, thank you Amazon… I can’t even go into clothing stores without feeling ungrateful.
So what is it, on this day, that you really have to be thankful for? I know there’s a bunch! And once you start writing, you might surprise yourself.
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Thanksgiving resembles a way we should be living our lives all through the year. But most of us don’t, I know I struggle with this. And I know that it can be hard to transition into.
But can I challenge you, friend? Can I challenge you to make this Thanksgiving a turning point?
This Thanksgiving lets find ourselves planted in gratitude. It’s good to be reminded of all that we have rather than focusing on what we don’t. And then maybe throughout the year, we can revisit these 3 steps that help keep us grounded in the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
So, what is one thing you’re thankful for this year?
Tell me in the comments below 🙂
All my Love,
