Post Thanksgiving Rundown

My guess is that by now you’ve eaten (and perhaps drank) way too much. You’re not actually likely to be reading this on Thursday evening as you fell asleep doped up on tryptophane and my newsletter got lost in endless Black Friday ads. Just wanted to pop in and wish you the best.

As we step into a the next holiday season take a moment to process any unresolved feelings you have about Thanksgiving. You are extraordinarily blessed if you spent the day with people who pissed you off and hurt your feelings. Remember that. Those opinionated, loud mouthed, obnoxious people are your family by birth or marriage or by choice. You will either have to face the enormous pain of their passing or they will be the ones left when you go. This is good. It is the whole point of life- to surround ourselves with people that matter, people that we love and keep working on and struggle with. Remember, you are someone’s obnoxious, loud-mouthed pain in the butt relative, too.

For people who have suffered a loss or are going through a divorce this holiday, I promise it gets better. There are actually things that time heals. Make some plans for how much more you will be able to enjoy next year’s holiday. It’s ok to not love this time of year.

Right now while it is all still fresh in your mind- who did it go? What do you wish you had done differently? What about the day was most important, what made the day special?

A trick I have learned from studying business strategy is continuous improvement. This means looking back and deciding what worked, and what didn’t work and making plans to adjust. The opposite is the definition of insanity- doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Doing a little post game analysis makes a huge difference because we forget. We do what we do unless we make a commitment to do differently.

I do this every year, not just around the holidays but around any stressful time in the year. Last year I made notes to myself (on my Google calendar) that reminded me that I really like taking the Wednesday before Thanksgiving off and working the Friday after. Each year, I think that I don’t really need Wednesday night off and then end up feeling resentful and frustrated when I have to work the evening before. And honestly- many of my clients make appointments only to cancel because they have their own last minute family stress to deal with.

I also noted that I need to start my Christmas preparations earlier this year than last. I love the season, love making gifts and special food for people but I somehow forget to make it a priority until days before Christmas and then wish I had more time… every year, same thing.

Do you really need to do all you did? Was it worth it? Do you keep hoping it will be different next year? Was it as hard as you thought it would be? Make a note to yourself. Somewhere you will see it in early November. And while you’re at it… what about Christmas? Be intentional. How do you want it to be? Remember that you are establishing traditions and memories for your children. This is how they will remember the holidays and the expectations that they will carry forward to their families. Create a holiday that reflects your values, your needs. Let go of worn out traditions or things you feel you have to do.

Celebrate. Enjoy. Create some lovely, low stress memories.
Maureen