Happy Thanksgiving 2021!!! We’ve made it, Dear Readers, and the Delta Variant did not steal our holiday season despite the supply chain chaos still going strong across the nation!
As always, this blog is grateful for your unwavering support, Dear Readers. The JMS team hopes you will spend the day with family, friends, good food, and uplifting conversation!
Usually, Thanksgiving offers Americans to pause and reflect on the small or big blessings enjoyed so far in the year. This year, however, marks the second year the coronavirus has wreaked havoc on our lives. Last Thanksgiving, the government decided to hold hostage our favorite American tradition with its severe travel restrictions. This year, most of us will travel to celebrate the holiday with our loved ones. Believe it or not, Dear Readers, we are slowly clawing ourselves out of the throes of this punitive global pandemic.
Thus, this blog is here with a two-step gratitude framework that will soothe your battered spirits this Thanksgiving (yes, even in a pandemic).
Action Step One: Remain flexible.
Dear Readers, you have favorite and endearing traditions you enjoy every Thanksgiving. But perhaps, the lingering coronavirus has forced us to change how we celebrate. From occupancy restrictions to vaccine mandates, we’ve had to adapt to ever-changing CDC-issued guidelines quite a bit this year.
Thus, this blog invites you to focus on the basics and remain flexible with everything else. Thanksgiving traditions are, therefore, likely to change as well. With the supply chain chaos, you might not be able to get your hands on everything you are used to this time of year. No problem! Just focus on enjoying a scaled-down version of your Thanksgiving feast and making new memories!
Action Step Two: Prep for Thanksgiving with a good planning sesh.
Well, as you know, Dear Readers, this blog loves to explore the intersection of the vexing concepts of productivity, time, and financial management. Today’s publication is no different. The JMS team wants you to enjoy Thanksgiving and the holiday season even though inflation appears to be eroding every dollar you are making!
Consequently, Dear Readers, you want to take the time to plan for the next five weeks. By getting into the habit of planning now, you can avoid unnecessary heartbreaks. Can you imagine not having enough money to buy Christmas gifts for your loved ones simply because you overspent for Thanksgiving? Understandably, Dear Readers, you are more anxious now than you were a year ago, thanks to the perfect storm that the Delta variant, supply chain chaos, inflation spike, and labor shortage combined created this fall.
But remember, Dear Readers, that so long as you are breathing and healthy, you have a chance to make something of your life. It won’t be easy. And it won’t pay to compare yourself to others on social media. But if you prep for Thanksgiving with a good planning sesh, you’ll be able to manage your time and finances better and keep your anxiety at bay. That’s how you’ll make the holiday season memorable, even in a pandemic!
Bonus Action Step: Commit to starting the valuable practice of cultivating gratitude on Thanksgiving Day and onward.
Now let’s be honest! Flexing the gratitude muscle takes getting used to and will not come naturally at first, Dear Readers! Therefore, this blog suggests creating a routine around the practice of cultivating gratitude. In time, you will see that the more you keep track of your blessings, you will feel more successful.
Perhaps you can spend the first 10 minutes of your day as you wake up to think about three people you are grateful for during this global pandemic. Or you can take a minute or two before inhaling your lunch to express how content you are with something that went well during your shift at work. You can even carve a moment in the evening as you prepare for the next day to sit down and make a list of five blessings you must acknowledge before going to bed. Better yet, write your list of graces in your goalbook to feel motivated and encouraged that you are making real, tangible progress towards your goals.
This blog is grateful that you, Dearest Readers, have continued to show up every week to see what’s new. The JMS team recognizes that its blog would not be alive without every single one of you! And we sincerely hope that it offers you the motivation and encouragement needed to keep fighting the good fight in your industry and personal lives.
From all of us at JMS, Dearest Readers, Happy Thanksgiving 2021!!!
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