Regardless of your plans this holiday season, one thing has already happened: You have been prioritizing.
You have reflected on what is most important for YOU when it comes to holiday gatherings when gathering with loved ones has become a risky prospect. You have already considered the following:
What will your holiday look like
Who will you see
Whether you are OK with the plan you have in place for the holiday
If not, what would ideally make you feel more comfortable?
If you are not on the same page as others, how can you navigate differences in opinion when making these decisions?
The precautions you are putting in place- both for physical health and nurturing your emotional needs
Finally, what is most important for you this holiday season.
How does what’s most important align with your actions? Ultimately the most critical balance is between what your physical and emotional needs are and whether you think your own decision is the best decision at this point in time.
Reflecting on how you’ve been making your decisions lends itself to also noticing gratitude. Acknowledging what we are thankful for is a relevant topic during the season of thanks- and every day. We know practicing gratitude is good for us and any attention we devote to noticing what we are grateful for is time well spent. I wrote a post on this topic on year ago and am currently drawing upon the messages within.
As you have already reflected on what Thanksgiving celebration will be like, why are you giving thanks? I invite you to take the time to reflect upon this fundamental question. What ARE you feeling grateful for right now? The people in your life? Your health? The good fortune you may have had?
Here’s an activity: Embrace the (likely) slower pace of the holidays this year to write a letter of thanks right now. Whether this takes the form of a note to yourself, a note to someone else, or a note you share widely. You could use the prompt below to get you started, if you’d like:
Thank you all for joining me in this reflection, and may your holiday season be full of gratitude.
Marni Amsellem, Ph.D.
www.Writereflectgrow.com