Turkey Day is upon us! Yet another year of annoying family members and eating too much. While work is the furthest thing on most peoples’ minds during the holiday, there are some good lessons to be learned from a well-executed Thanksgiving Day dinner beyond “it suck to be the turkey!”
Plan well – “A failure to plan, is a plan to fail.” All sorts of problems come up when reality meets the road. Aunt Bessie gets stuck in traffic behind a bad accident. Little Joey has an “accident” in his pants. Spot jumps on the kitchen counter and starts nibbling on the turkey. Unanticipated bumps in the road, emergency fires to put out, others that demand your attention, etc. If it’s important, take a little time to plan how to succeed in advance so the nuisances don’t become major problems.
Keep things in perspective – Putting that much family into a small space (and then adding football rivalries and a bit of alcohol) can lead to a family squabble or two. Sometimes just reminding people of why we are here – to be with family, have a good time, and that we care about each other - goes a long way to defusing those arguments. Part of good behavior and communication can be as simple as a reminder of what the bigger picture is.
Show gratitude – Thanksgiving is about, well, giving thanks. For what you have. For the relationships in your life. Showing gratitude and appreciation is one of the best ways to let people know you care and keep them engaged.
“Trade your expectation for appreciation and the world changes instantly.” – Tony Robbins
“We must find the time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.” – John F. Kennedy
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