Put down the screen.

Screens are becoming our go-to place to connect, but on days like Thanksgiving, I recommend actually trying to have a screen-free day. If that’s not possible, or if you need to call or FaceTime someone you love, do it, and then put it away. The freedom you will feel is amazing. You won’t be falling into the Comparison Trap while you scroll your feeds and you won’t feel like you have to post your own day.

Live the day, don’t document the day.

This goes with the first one, but our normal has become documenting everything and on days like Thanksgiving, the perfect picture can become more important than what’s actually happening in the room. Less documenting, more living. Despite what we tell ourselves, even if we don’t have any recorded or pictorial proof… it still happened.

Engage and be genuinely interested about someone else.

Ask questions, make eye-contact and think about someone else’s world. Don’t just sit in your own head, in your own life, with your own stresses and pressures. For one day, those things don’t exist. But in there with the people.

Be thankful.

Didn’t see that one coming, did you? Seriously though, practice what Paul wrote in Philippians and you will be present, you will be thankful and you will have peace.

Rejoicein the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your heartsand your mindsin Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellentor praiseworthy–thinkabout such things…And the God of peace with be with you.– Philippians 4:4-9 NIV