I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It is my absolute favorite holiday. I love the idea of giving thanks because it provides me with the opportunity to stop and think about all the mini miracles that I enjoy every single day. We are so often caught up in the day to day distractions and going through the motions that we take for granted all that we have and forget how those things positively impact our lives.
I am always most grateful for my family and friends. There are days that I genuinely don’t know how I would get through if it were not for their unwavering love and support. My family and friends are also the ones that make each day more fun and enjoyable. They inspire me, challenge me and always add to a good time.
One of my favorite “good times” is family bowling. It is a Thanksgiving weekend tradition in my family that we started about 10 years ago. It’s always a mix of family and friends who show up to show off their bowling skills, and it’s always sure to be a good time. You never know what’s going to happen! Just this year, I locked myself in the bathroom and had to crawl out under the stall on the floor in my favorite white cashmere sweater. It was not one of my finer moments, but it was certainly worth a good laugh!
My sister’s boyfriend joined us at bowling this year, meeting much of our family for the first time. The poor guy had a joke fail – in an epic way that will surely follow him for some time – but he was good-natured about it, and it was worth a good laugh. To top off the evening, back at the house, the cat jumped on the counter, walked over a candle and caught on fire! Luckily, it was just a little singed hair, and he seemed to be fine…which then led to one of those, “Holy sh*t, the cat caught on fire, can you believe it?!” kind of laughs. I guess the memories that really stick are often the ones of the messy parts, the times our expectations were exceeded, AND the times things got all screwed up.
It’s that time of year when expectations of perfection are high, when images of how things “should” be are everywhere. This so often leaves people feeling down and disappointed. As we transition from the season of gratitude to the season of giving, give yourself and your loved ones the gift of imperfection. Allow yourself and for them to laugh and love in whatever way works for you. Let go of the stress of it all by letting go of the marketing image of how things “should” be. Simply, embrace how things are. Visualize your real ideal holiday season. What does that look like for you? How do you want to feel? What is important about this and what will having this real ideal do for you? Ask yourself these questions and allow the answers to guide your experience over the next few weeks. If you need help, then schedule a “Breakthrough Strategy Session” today so you are able to stress less and enjoy more this holiday season!
Emily