With Thanksgiving, the holiday of gratitude, just around the corner, I decided to investigate how it affects our happiness. Today, we investigate the positives and negatives of social connections at Thanksgiving. 

 

Transcript:

 

Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day,  through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and one of the biggest aspects of Thanksgiving is spending time with family and friends. On Everyday Happiness, I cannot even count how often I have spoken about the importance of social connection. Still, as a quick reminder, studies have shown that building, maintaining, and celebrating our bonds in life are crucial to our happiness.

 

Yes, building bonds and celebrating the little moments together is vital to establishing and maintaining healthy relationships, but what about those whom you really just want to chuck some cranberry sauce at?

 

While it may seem unfortunate, Thanksgiving often leads to a family member or two whom you don’t particularly adore spending copious amounts of time in your personal space. It could be an overbearing mother-in-law, an uncle who has told the same war story every holiday for a decade, or a sibling who knows how to needle you just the right way. When this happens, it can be easy to let the stress build, along with your blood pressure, forcing you to think that this holiday may not be something worth being thankful for.

 

However, I challenge you to adjust your mindset. Rather than falling victim to annoyance or stress, try this instead. Before that person arrives, take a moment to think of a positive personality trait of theirs or a moment you were grateful to them. Then, whenever they push your buttons, bring that idea back up and hold it in your mind.

 

For example, for your overbearing mother-in-law, think of how she brought your beloved spouse into the world and raised them to be the person you love. For your chatty uncle telling the same war story again, think of how proud of them you are for serving their country. For that annoying sibling, think of your favorite childhood memory, like when you built a fort or shared a touching moment. 

 

So, the next time you feel like hurling some cranberry sauce into their face, think of these precious moments and be grateful that they happened. However, if that still doesn’t work, maybe try a deep breath and exit the conversation.

 

Tomorrow, we will be discussing my second theory of Thanksgiving happiness, so make sure to tune in! Until then, remember kindness is contagious. Give someone something to be grateful for this Thanksgiving by doing something kind. 

 

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