The best gift to yourself this Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving, I’m giving myself the gift of NOTHING. Forget the turkey and stuffing, the best thing you can give yourself this Thanksgiving is a day of pure, unadulterated laziness. Exhausted, I welcomed a weekend where I didn’t plan anything. No grocery. No playdates. No email checking. Nothing. It was nerve-racking at first, especially with young kids who kept asking what we were planning to do. It turned out to be the best gift I gave myself and to my kids too. I strongly recommend that you also give that gift of nothing this Thanksgiving. Why is that the case, you may ask?

1. Your body needs it. Our lives run on calendars and schedules. Even when our body’s sending signals to slow down, we put ourselves on the high-speed pilot mode that we forget we have the power to hit the brakes. My chronic right ear pain that I felt when I was on tight schedules, for instance, left me when I gave myself the very needed gift of nothing. 

2. Your mind will feel clear. An endless list of to-dos keeps popping up and causes anxiety when we’re always on the run. Decluttering your schedule can reduce anxiety and improve mental well-being. After a day of nothing, I realized what I thought were important were actually not urgent. I focused on what were both important and urgent. People noticed and I felt really valued. 

3. Your spirit will be energized. With the rested body and mind, we let our energy flow to what makes us happy. My daughter, for instance, after complaining how we didn’t have a plan, started writing her first storybook. Turns out, all she needed to unleash her inner J.K. Rowling was a day with a completely bored mom. I also spent the unscheduled time to snuggle more with kids. I realized that being present and sharing love with my family is what truly nourishes our spirits. 

   
   

How can we gift ourselves with a day of nothing? That sounds all nice but not possible with all the family and social commitments? Here are some suggestions that you can try today. 

1. Create a “no commitments” day on your calendar. Declare it to your closest people that on this day, maybe every month, that you will spend a day of doing nothing. They will hold you accountable and maybe you’ll inspire them to do the same. 

2. Delegate tasks or ask for help. I used to fold all the laundry at home just because I can do it faster and better than anyone else in the house. I then asked for help from my husband and kids because I felt too tired. It turned out that they did much better than I thought. Instead of me spending two hours every week folding laundry, this became a weekly family fun activity. 

3. Prepare in advance so you don’t have to worry about chores or errands. Buy holiday gifts for families, and send that email before your nothing day. Treat your do nothing day as your complete day off with a bit of planning ahead of time.  

   
   

Gift of nothing will be the best gift that you’ll ever get for yourself this Thanksgiving break. Just breathe and enjoy the moment at home. Wishing you all a rejuvenating and warm Thanksgiving! 

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