7 Things to Level Up Your Thanksgiving

The holiday season is upon us and Thanksgiving in the United States is the kick off of holiday parties and celebrations. Six weeks later on January 1, millions of people around the globe are using a special word that is big in meaning, small in size, and severely underappreciated. That word is new. We say “Happy New Year,” and we declare our “new” goals for the year, but somewhere along the lines, “new” gets lost in translation.

To help you kick off this season of celebration, I thought a list of 7 things to help you level up more than just your Thanksgiving.

Express Your Thanks thru Blogging

Some of you are thinking to yourselves “What?” I’m not saying go out and start your own blog to necessarily and writing for some of you may not be your X factor. But everyone has a story to tell. In your spare time, try out a blog to document what’s going on in your life. You can make it specific to your interests or your career, or you could keep it wide open for whatever thoughts dance through your mind. Sharing your insight is part of the ‘giving’ in Thanksgiving and I am positive someone reading your thoughts will receive inspiration.

Thanksgiving Cooking

Of course! It is Thanksgiving after all so cooking is on the menu of things to do. But for the most part, our busy lives have us looking for simple and quick meal solutions. The idea of taking a few hours preparing and enjoying the process has gotten lost in the chaos. Cooking gets a bad rap for being time-consuming, messy, and demanding. We may not all be a whiz in the kitchen, but every once and a while, it’s fun to create a big meal for yourself. Or come together and make a big meal with your friends and family)

Dance Lessons

Oh the laughter. Let is begin. If you have two left feet or someone who has no sense of rhythm, taking dance lessons will be good for more than saving your partner’s toes. It will be good for your heart and soul. It’s always a good idea to get your body moving when you can, and it’s an even better idea to move your body to music! When you’re itching to do something new, try out a new form of dance. It’s creative and active to help burn off all those extra holiday calories you maybe enjoying – win-win!

Gardening

The farm to table has been given a new life over the last several years. During the pandemic, even more so. The best part about having your own garden is eating the food. During the holiday season preparing meals with your own root vegetables definitely will level up your gratitude filled dinners. Pairing your own food with your cooking endeavor, and you’re set! The only caveat with gardening is that you have to have enough space for one. But if you do, it’s well worth it to start growing your own fruits, veggies, and herbs. If space is limited, then partnering or finding a community garden is a great alternative.

Hiking on Thanksgiving

Depending on where you live, mountains may be fully accessible to you. If that’s the case, taking advantage of it by going on hikes regularly has so many benefits. It gets your blood pumping and gives you all kinds of beautiful sights to see. Even if you live in a flatter geographical area, get out and explore by walking local nature trails. One of the yearly traditions is to participate in a 5K run/walk or get out moving before partaking in the Thanksgiving spread. By getting up and get going it helps to focus our mindset of the ‘thanks’ piece of the holiday.

Learn a New Language

Just imagine, sitting around the holiday dinner table and hearing a multiple languages being spoken. Which language have you been earning to learn? Is there a specific culture in your family with a different first language other than the one you fluently speak/read? Pick a language and in your spare time take 5 minutes to invest it in exercising your brain. Growing up in Canada, we are a bi-lingual country. Meaning English and French are our two official languages. After moving to the states, French fell off my radar. I decided three years ago to reintroduce it along with Spanish in my life. Quick and easy five minutes a day using Duolingo and I am off to the races. I definitely recommend you seize this extra time as the perfect opportunity to start practicing.

Meditation

At first glance, meditation may seem like the opposite of exciting. It’s calm, soothing, and super quiet. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be exciting, too! Meditation is an art and a historically backed practice. During this hectic season, try to set aside five minutes a day and bring yourself back to center. This calmness might just make the difference between a crazy out of control approach to the holiday season and one feeling grounded. And who know, you may actually enjoy it.

Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Questions regarding how you can include a few of these elements in your life this holiday season? Contact me today. I would love to support you.