5 Simple Steps to a Stress-Free Thanksgiving!
1. Make a Plan & Prepare Early
While we live in a crazy, chaotic world, your Thanksgiving holiday doesn’t have to be either. Making a plan will help keep you on track with the million little things on your Thanksgiving To Do List. Speaking of the To Do List, it’s time to make one. Make yourself a hot cup of tea (or whatever you prefer!), sit down in a quiet place, and write down everything you need to do to make sure your Thanksgiving is fantastic.
A few things to remember:
Finalize and confirm travel reservations
Make the menu and divide it up among those who will be eating with you
Do the grocery shopping early to avoid the crowds
Stock up on necessities
Finish the house cleaning
Send out Thanksgiving cards
Make child care arrangements (day care is likely closed on Friday!)
Call the yard guy to make sure the lawn looks great before your guests arrive
Pick up the clothes from the dry cleaner
Iron the napkins
Polish the silver
Set the DVR to record the Charlie Brown special, the Thanksgiving day parade, the dog show, etc…
Be sure to add to your list anything that is specific to your plans, then review your list and assign a due date to each item. Try to complete everything a few days prior to your big day. This will help ensure less chaos when you’re busy in the kitchen making pumpkin pies!
2. Be Flexible
Now that you have a plan, remember: Plans always seem to change … sometimes, on a moments notice. Knowing this helps you keep your stress at bay when you get that phone call that:
More people will be showing up than originally planned
Your flight is cancelled
The roads are icy and nobody will be able to drive to your house
Those unexpected guests need a place to stay
Your nephew is now a vegetarian
Your house guest decided to bring the pet python
The more flexible you are with the unexpected, the more you will enjoy yourself this Thanksgiving. There is no sense in working yourself into a tizzy over things which you have no control.
3. About Family …
The Thanksgiving holidays are a wonderful time for family and friends to get together. A wonderful time — unless, you don’t particularly like being around one of those friends or family members. When it comes to difficult friends and family members I have one fail safe trick. First, remember that, in general, people really just want to be included and validated, and sometimes the more difficult people in our lives go about seeking inclusion and validation in peculiar ways. My fail safe trick: Look at your loved one, smile (that part is important), and think to yourself: “That’s just ‘Johnny’. I love him with all my heart.” You might have to do it a few times, but it really will help change your perspective about that person.
4. My “Thursday Theory” …
We often get caught up in the details. One of those details is that Thanksgiving has to be celebrated on Thursday. I can’t argue that Thursday is the official day, but if Friday or Saturday works better for you and your family, then celebrate on Friday or Saturday instead. If you have two or three different Thanksgiving celebrations to attend, see if you can have them on different days — especially if you have to travel. Just because the official holiday is on Thursday, doesn’t mean you have to celebrate it on Thursday.
5. Take an “M” Day
What’s an “M” Day? M Days are days just for ME! It’s my time to relax, renew, reflect, rejuvenate, and rest. Take an M Day any time before, during, or right after the Thanksgiving holiday.
A few really great M Day activities:
A trip to the spa
A great massage
Spend time meditating
Read a book
Go see a movie
Exercise (if that’s OK with your physician)
Take a nap
Practice relaxing breath work
Take a long, hot, relaxing bath
Do an hour of yoga and go for a walk (check with your physician first)
Make a list of things for which you are thankful
Take the time to take care of yourself now, or you’ll have to make the time to take care of yourself later.
Implement and enjoy these five simple strategies to ensure your Thanksgiving is filled with fun times … not with stress and chaos.
(c) Copyright 2008, Chad Simpson, All Rights Reserved