Thanks and Thanksgiving
About a 5-Minute Read
Today is Thanksgiving in the U.S. It’s not a holiday here in Italy, although unfortunately (in my opinion), Black Friday is now a “thing” in Europe. Even though we don’t officially celebrate Thanksgiving any more, it remains one of my favourite holidays, so I choose to celebrate it quietly on my own.
Really, we should be giving thanks every day for our many blessings, so choosing one day a year to be thankful seems redundant. But then, we have many holidays throughout the year where we celebrate and recognize things that also should happen daily; it’s in our nature to enjoy rituals and celebrations, so why not?
Thanksgiving has always been my favourite holiday for a number of reasons. It’s a time to be with friends and family, maybe do a little bit of traveling, and to simply spend time together. For many, the meal is the main focus, but for me it has always been about spending time together. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the meal too! And food, of course, is one of our most sacred bonds. But Thanksgiving is different to other holidays. It’s a holiday where we take a day to relax and enjoy each other’s company. We don’t worry about giving gifts. We share laughter, love, food, football, and memories. It’s a time when we can just “be.”
I’m not discounting all the effort that goes into preparing the meal - I’ve done it myself, and it’s an incredible amount of work (not to mention the clean-up afterwards, especially if there has been a big group of people). But even that is a sort of bonding ritual, where folks pitch in and help, cooking together, preparing the table, and all the other things that need to be done. I have very fond memories of spending time in the kitchen with family members, catching up with each other, talking about traditions, current events, or whatever.
Now, I know that we don’t all live in a Norman Rockwell painting. Holidays aren’t fantastic occasions for everyone. They also can be rife with stress, family drama, difficulties, illness, and even loss. I’d be lying if I said none of those ever tainted my holiday celebrations over the years. And like anything else, the difference is where you choose to focus your attention. I choose to remember the good times, the love I feel for my family and friends, and the many happy memories that are woven into the fabric of my life. Because those are the things that matter most.
What does this have to do with health and wellness? A lot! See, there are certain emotions and habits that shape our life experiences more than we realise. When we experience strong emotions, our brain and body release different kinds of chemicals, which directly affect our physiology. For example, when we are highly stressed, angry, or afraid, the body produces Interleukin-6, which triggers inflammation. The stronger the reaction, the stronger the inflammatory response, and over time this can lead to health problems. There is a similar but healing response when we experience strong positive emotions, where the body releases substances like serotonin and dopamine, our “feel good” neurotransmitters. Pretty cool, eh? So doing more of the things that provide us with positive emotional responses will help us to improve our health. And our outlook on life in general.
Because the holidays can be difficult for many, with family drama, gossip, extra stress at work, or whatever the case may be, protecting your personal/emotional space and learning to set boundaries can help shift those experiences for you. When we’re able to create - and protect - personal boundaries, we protect our mental and emotional well-being. Want to practice over the holidays this year? See if you can apply any of these phrases when difficult conversations arise (credit to Sara Kubric, CCC; @millenial.therapist):
I appreciate your concern, but this is my decision.
I respect your values and beliefs, but I do not share them.
I will no longer be the middle person in family arguments.
Commenting on my weight is not appropriate, you need to stop.
Any rude comments about my lifestyle will result in this conversation ending.
I understand you are frustrated, but I don’t want to participate in family gossip.
One of my own: This isn’t a conversation I’m willing (or able) to have right now.
Obviously these don’t cover every situation, but you get the idea. Think about a way you can establish your own boundaries, and then find a polite but firm way to express yourself. You have every right to protect your mental and emotional health.
While the previous couple of paragraphs may seem like I’ve gone off on a tangent, there’s method to my madness. See, health and wellness go a whole lot deeper than your daily diet. Factors like our mindset, attitude, social circles, work life, physical environment, life experiences, and others, all play a part in our overall health. These factors also are involved in managing a healthy body weight and directly affect our relationship with food. This is why nutrition coaching is such a great approach for so many people. As I’ve said before, all diets work, as long as you follow them. It’s what you learn to do on a daily basis, how you learn to deal with all the other aspects of health and wellness, that will make sustainable change possible. That’s what nutrition coaching is about. That’s what I do.
So, as we start into the crux of the holiday season and get ready to wind up another calendar year, I’m grateful to my clients for putting their trust in me and my coaching. I’m grateful for the amazing education and certifications I’ve been able to complete. I’m grateful for the passion to share my knowledge and help guide others on their journeys. I’m grateful.
And I’m developing some exciting new coaching programs for the new year, so I hope you’ll stay tuned!
I wish you a wonderful holiday season.
Have a health of a day,
Juli