Thanksgiving is fast approaching here in the US (which means we are in the full swing of the holiday season.

You have your plans. You know who is making what.

But maybe it doesn’t look quite like a Martha Stewart magazine.

Maybe it looks great but you feel stressed out, anyway.

PlanSimple Holidays will help you makeover your holiday season, but today I want to focus on mini changes that can help make an already planned holiday (like the one 2.5 days from now) feel happier and healthier.

You already know you are going to your aunt’s house with all your extended family and their kids. You know that you all raise kids a bit differently.

Or maybe you are spending the holiday more alone because your family is not near by, and though it seems like it would be fun to get together with friends, that is not what’s up.

And of course there are thousands of scenarios between that have little things “wrong” with them.

So what are some things you can do to make the day happy and healthy?

Know why the day is important to you. Not the textbook version, your heart version. And communicate that to your spouse and kids. Make sure you include one thing in the day that that maps back to that — a family walk, a gratitude ritual, an hour alone (those could be mine!).

Understand what could go wrong. Is it that you have a child who is allergic to dairy and you’re not sure if aunt Suzy really heard you? Or maybe you have a really picky eater and you fear a full on tantrum? Or maybe you don’t approve all the parenting styles parents, but you end up saying “yes” to an inappropriate movie out of guilt for being “that mom.” Maybe it is you. Maybe you always over eat on the holidays. Write it out. Get it all out of your head and onto paper.

Make a plan for each thing that you are worried about. Bring food for the allergic child. Pre-frame the food with the picky child. Decide with your spouse what will go down when the movie comes out. Figure out what food will leave you feeling good and have a strategy for knowing when you are full. Can you pause and check in? What does that look like in a party situation?

Chose in advance and write it down.

I did not make up this process.

Corporations have been using it for years for customer service.

Have you ever noticed when a barista makes something wrong at Starbucks? The barista (mostly) keeps smiling, and gives the drink to a customer who wants it, and then happily makes you a new one. The customer can get angry and downright mean, but the outcome is always the similar. This is because Starbucks has a process for this, and employees map out what to do with an angry customer before one even shows up.

This can work for our holidays too!

Come tell me what’s not going to go wrong for you this holiday season.

If you want to plan for a stress-free and fabulous holiday season, join me in PlanSimple Holidays (www.plansimpleholidays.com).