Making A Happier Thanksgiving

(KTVI) – It’s time for a little Thanksgiving dinner etiquette. Sara Hoffstot, a licensed counselor, stopped by to explain some pitfalls to avoid to help make a happier Thanksgiving gathering. One thing that can go a long way – help with the dishes.

Here are some more tips:

1.Identify control. People waste an extraordinary amount of time and energy on things they can’t control. Whether a relative is getting on your last nerve, you find yourself in a long line checking out at the grocery store, or the Thanksgiving meal isn’t going as planned, identify where you have control and make a plan for dealing with the issue. If you don’t have control, focus your time and energy elsewhere.

2. Rejuvenate. Positive emotion is a key component of resilience (Cohn et al., 2009). Busy women often put themselves last on their to-do lists, and December is often one of the busiest months of the year. Not only is there year-end work to finish, but also client and holiday parties, gifts to wrap and treats to bake. Even though time is in short supply, model the importance of taking time to rejuvenate. You can’t bring your best self to work or home if your tank is always on empty.

3. Shut off your gadgets. Even if you can’t (or don’t want to) shut off your electronic connection, do so for Thanksgiving Day. This is your day to truly reconnect with and enjoy your family and to savor your time off. The majority of even the most pressing issues will be able to wait until Friday.

4. Grab the good stuff. Human beings are predisposed to notice and remember the bad stuff that happens during the day. Positive interactions abound, but you often fail to remember them. At the end of each day, name several good things that happened and why those good things were important. This exercise only takes a few minutes, but studies show that those who make this activity a regular habit experience increased levels of happiness and optimism (Seligman, et al., 2005).