To those of you that celebrate, let me wish you an upcoming Happy Thanksgiving! The hoiidays remind me to live mindfully and to take time to enjoy myself – how about you?

For over a month now, I’ve see Christmas decorations in almost all of the stores I shop at. Since the end of summer, marketers have been pushing you to think about, buy, and plan for the holiday season. I went looking for some Halloween decorations (hoping to find them on clearance for next year) toward the end of October, and they were cleared out! Now, the Thanksgiving and fall decorations are long gone even though it isn’t even December.

Take time to slow down and enjoy the holidays, whichever ones you celebrate. Make your holiday your own! I think that too often we feel pressured to live up to the expectations of others, and of the media. Spend time with yourself, with your family & friends. Limit your time with the family that make you crazy. You work hard, don’t torture yourself on your day off! After not celebrating last year after my father’s passing, it is important to me to create new traditions for this year and the years to come. Scott and I will be having a Rocky marathon on Thursday, and dinner for some of our self-made family on Friday.

As any other time of the year, remember to live mindfully and to set boundaries. Find a balance between living in the moment without judgment, and setting aside time to plan for the future. You will get done everything that needs to get done. And what doesn’t wasn’t meant to be. Sit down, reflect on gratitude, and have a great holiday!

Prompt: What am I thankful for this year? How can I make this a holiday that I will enjoy – how can I balance my needs with the needs of my family?