Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season of 2020!

Grateful to the small things… the changing colours of the leaves…

This Thanksgiving is going to be unlike any other. How are you feeling about that? Can you take some time to really acknowledge and let yourself feel whatever is arising. Do this with compassion. There are no wrong feelings. Perhaps you even feel a complex mixture of sadness that you won’t be keeping up with your usual traditions and being with the people you usually are with, and relief that you don’t have jump through all the usual hoops and expectations.

Living far away from my family that is scattered around the world, I am used to really keeping the focus both small (my family and friends unit) and far reaching (connecting in various ways to friends and family far away). It is possible to be missing people so much your heart hurts and still experience joy.  

Gratitude.

It is what Thanksgiving is all about and it really puts things into perspective when we remember this focus. What is really important here? What really matters to you? What are you grateful for? 

Gratitude is the opposite of stress and a gratitude meditation and practice can do wonders. When I am experiencing a time of high-level stress or am feeling low, I incorporate this into my daily practice. It helps to reframe and bring clarity into your perspective. 

Gratitude is a form of mindfulness. As we cultivate it as a practice we learn to identify and be grateful for small things as well as the larger. We are slowing down, we are more aware, we notice more and appreciate more. The changing of the seasons, the way the light shifts during a day, the smell of something delicious cooking, a kind gesture from a stranger, an act of kindness, the joy a pet brings…the list can be very long. 

In Buddhist teachings, true awareness is being aware of the abundance in our lives. It is said that a lack of gratitude means we are not paying full attention and we are taking existence for granted.

Gratitude is celebrated throughout philosophy and religion. Now as science catches up, we are of course seeing studies that suggest it carries significant benefits for our mental and physical health. People practicing gratitude report fewer physical symptoms of illness, are more optimistic, and have decreased anxiety and depression.

What to do with your Gratitude.

•    Look our for upcoming ideas and thoughts on instagram

Take time for yourself.

If you are in NYC, you are likely locked up in a pretty small space with multiple people. Take a walk by yourself! A long bath with a locked bathroom door, take time to read a good book, listen to a podcast and just generally relax. If you are finding it hard to relax or sleep, you may be experiencing more chronic levels of stress. Meditation and mindfulness can be key here. Feel free to reach out if you would like some further support. 

Don’t let your healthy habits fall by the wayside. 

Make sure things like regular sleep, your meditation practice, exercise and eating well don’t completely fall away. Cut yourself a break and enjoy the season, but some things are essential to our overall wellbeing. You know what they are! As my Mum always says, ‘everything in moderation’. 

Recognize what your ‘usual’ holiday stresses are. 

Perhaps it is the increase workload and pressure you feel to make everyone happy, it could be increased financial pressure – are there ways to manage these ahead of time? How can you keep things positive?

If you are suffering from anxiety or depression make sure you reach out to a friend or family member or for professional help. You are not alone. You can call 1-888-NYC-WELL anytime for free Mental Health Resources & Counseling. 

Expectations.

If there is a time to let go of expectations it is the holiday season of 2020! Let’s make things easy for ourselves! Let’s lower our expectations or better yet throw them out completely! These unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures – is it time to do things completely differently? What could this look like if you think outside the box?

Social Media.

With the year we have had we all know how destructive constant consumption of social media and media in general can be. Really noticing the affect that it has on your mood and thoughts can be insightful. Be mindful of this and act accordingly. 

Lastly.

Think about the people you know, and those you don’t know, who may be struggling a bit more at this time. Reach out – all kindness and thoughtfulness is so gratefully received and really helps you to keep things in a good perspective too.