Have a “Great”-ful Thanksgiving with These 5 Mindfulness Tips

By Amelia Woolard

Don’t get us wrong – we love Thanksgiving. Food, family, Black Friday shopping, finally reaching a socially acceptable time to put up the Christmas tree… honestly, we could go on and on about our love for Turkey Day.

But do you ever get the feeling that the holiday passes by in a total blur? We eat too much, choose Facebook over family members, and before you know it, we’re back at school counting down the days ‘til winter break when we’ll do it all over again. Whatever happened to being thankful at Thanksgiving?

Not to get all new-age on you, but one of the best ways to truly appreciate the holidays is to practice mindfulness. Yes – believe it or not, that health buzzword Gwyneth Paltrow keeps talking about can make a serious difference in how you experience your Thanksgiving holiday. Aside from being a very on-trend lifestyle phenomenon, mindfulness is a widely utilized tool for helping us live in the moment. It’s a very Easternized way-of-thinking that could benefit our Westernized way-of-life.

When done right, practicing mindfulness can ease your racing mind and help you better appreciate your many blessings. New to the mindfulness game? No worries – these tips are so easy, anyone can start applying them immediately.

Accept any stress or anxiety as it comes.

As awesome as the holidays are, they can be pretty darn nerve-wracking. Maybe you’re heading to someone else’s home for the holiday, or perhaps you expect to see someone in your family that you don’t have much of a relationship with. You could just be less than thrilled to deal with your stressed-out hostess of a mom. We get it – anxiety can happen for a number of reasons, especially given how much importance is placed upon a holiday like Thanksgiving!

Considering that roughly 25 percent of Americans report experiencing extreme stress during the holidays, you’re certainly not alone in feeling this way. So, instead of feeling shame for your stress or anxiety, embrace those emotions as they come and try not to predict the ones that will come to a head later on. Take your life one moment at a time and give yourself space to identify what you’re feeling. It’s completely okay to close your eyes, tune everything out, and just listen to your breath. With a bit of mindfulness like this, you’ll likely find that your anxieties will soon melt away.

Savor what’s in front of you.

Delectable pies, juicy turkey, and freshly roasted vegetables… it’s no wonder that many of us count Thanksgiving among our favorite holidays! With so much build-up to the main event – the feast – who could blame you for gobbling it all up in record time? You may even be daring enough to go back for seconds, or day we say… thirds? There’s a reason why stretchy pants are basically mandatory for the aftermath of holiday meals, right?

We love a good pumpkin pie as much as the next person, but before you consume your entire meal in one fell swoop, take a moment to think about what’s on your plate. Practicing mindful eating is a great way to genuinely enjoy what you’re consuming and reflect on the many ways in which you should be thankful this holiday season. Instead of loading up your plate to excess, take smaller portions of each dish you desire, then focus on savoring every bite. In this practice, you may find that you’re perfectly content with what you have – but hey, if you go back for more, there’s no judgement at this end of the table!

Commit to a distraction-free Thanksgiving.

Have you ever tried talking to someone who wouldn’t turn down the television? Or attempted to hold a conversation with a friend who insisted on texting at the same time? Even family members can be guilty of this, researching unique and delicious Pinterest recipes ahead of the big feast. But, regardless of intention, it’s super irritating to try to connect with someone who’s distracted by something seemingly more important, which most of the time, really isn’t that important at all.

That’s why your friends at uCribs hereby challenge you to commit to a distraction-free Thanksgiving. Why? First of all, as young adults, we’re definitely the worst offenders when it comes to holding our smartphones in hand mid-text while absentmindedly listening to Aunt Gertrude, like we’re fully attune to everything she’s saying. Secondly, for many of us, the holidays are the only time we have time to catch up with loved ones, and we should make the most of it. So, put that smartphone down, and step away from the TV—no one will get hurt if you don’t, of course, but you just might feel much more fulfilled this holiday season.

Take some time for yourself.

The holidays are a time for gathering, but in many cases, all of that togetherness can be a bit overwhelming. This especially rings true for college students who, once they arrive home, are shipped off to see different family members and friends in the usual round of obligatory visits with little alone time to speak of. Before you know it, you’re back in class, feeling a bit slighted that you couldn’t indulge in that solo movie night you’d been dreaming of.

While it’s true that people tend to hold certain expectations around the holidays, remember that Thanksgiving isn’t all about pleasing others. It’s also an ideal time to focus on yourself, reflect on your year, and think about the upcoming semester. After all, the holidays are about love, patience, and gratitude – why shouldn’t you lavish yourself with the same care you’ve given everyone else?

Find a way to help others.

Thanksgiving is an ideal time to give to others, and nothing boosts mindfulness quite like philanthropy! When you practice altruism, you become even more appreciative of what you have. Plus, there’s a special kind of feeling in making someone else’s day—like c’mon, even the biggest Scrooges out there can’t deny how awesome that feels.

Luckily, there are endless ways to spread the joy of the season to others. You may choose to donate nonperishable food items or winter clothing items to certified collection centers. You could spend the day volunteering at a local nonprofit, or if you want to get a group of family members together to achieve a common initiative, consider serving hot holiday meals at a local shelter. Adding meaningful, charitable work to your holiday is sure to make this Thanksgiving one you’ll remember for years to come.

There are plenty of things to be thankful for during Thanksgiving, but for many of us, it’s all too easy to get caught up in lavish dinners, football games, holiday sales, and the million other things that distract us from extracting the true meaning of the holiday itself. If you’re just as tired of superficial celebrations as we are, try practicing mindfulness during this year’s holiday festivities. You might find that taking a moment to savor the season is the perfect way to embrace Thanksgiving for what it really is: a time to join loved ones in gratitude and thankfulness.

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