The 3 Most Important Ingredients for Thanksgiving 2023

If you are reading this, pause for a moment and appreciate this gift. This gift of being here, alive, with the physical capacity to read this, to be somewhere in the world with access to the connectivity to do so, the ability to have the space to simply take this in.

If you are in the United States and gathering with friends & loved ones for Thanksgiving today, this is another precious gift... to share life with others, to gather for great food & fun, to be able to take a pause out of your busy life and simply be.

As we go into this holiday, we are all aware (thanks to a 24/7 barrage of nonstop information) of the suffering that is occurring throughout the world. We are all feeling it, we are all experiencing some level of emotional, mental, and psychological distress over it, we all have strong opinions about it.

This column is not about who is right and who is wrong, or what information is false and what is real. It is about your personal choice and power on how you will show up today, and how you will contribute to a positive experience for all.

The single most important thing we can do for each other as human beings is to create a safe space for others. As leaders, it is the most important thing we can do for our employees; as human beings it is the most important thing we can do for our loved ones.

Today, as you approach your gatherings, I encourage you to ask yourself these questions:

• What kind of experience do I want to have with my friends and family?
• What kind of experience do I want to co-create with my friends and family?
• Am I walking into this experience with an open mind and open heart?
• Am I walking into this experience with a full appreciation of what I have been blessed with - the opportunity to gather with loved ones, a delicious meal in a warm, safe home, the opportunity to make memories and share experiences with those that have shown up for me?

My family and I have a fun "tradition" of avoiding any potentially inflammatory topics that may cause problems that will fester long after the meal. We are mindful about the fragility of relationships. Egos and the need to be right/heard have destroyed far too many relationships, especially in this destructive Cancel Culture where blocking others has become the default "solution" to addressing conflict.

We must remember that being related or affiliated does not necessarily correlate into alignment of values, beliefs, and perspectives. Ultimately we must decide to value the relationship over difference of opinion, and to remember that beliefs and perspectives are often not fixed. With time, personal growth, and experience, we often change or expand perspectives, or simply make room for the perspectives of others. Everything in life ebbs and flows.

Our family's biggest Thanksgiving topic of potential conflict is whether or not a hot dog is a sandwich. This has become the source of great debate at our Thanksgiving table. There are a lot of variables which I won't discuss here, but it can get quite contentious.

As I travel to my family gathering today, where we will be greatly missing the presence of my father - my hero - who passed away on August 27th, my intention will be to show up with these three things:

1. Love - unconditional love for everyone at my table
2. Gratitude - gratitude to have the opportunity to gather with my loved ones - that I am healthy, they are healthy, and I live a life that allows me to do so
3. Compassion - compassion for everyone that is struggling and a commitment within this compassion to do what I can to create a safe container for everyone at my table.

I wish everyone a peaceful, joy-filled, and love-filled day, and I send love, light, and compassion to all.

About the Author

Marissa is a 5x, 30-year entrepreneur, speaker, best-selling author, mindset expert, and globally recognized growth & spiritual strategist. She was recognized as one of the Top 200 Biggest Voices of Leadership globally for 2023.

She is CEO and co-founder of i5 Conscious Leadership,?a leadership education, coaching, and consulting firm. Guided by a mission to elevate the consciousness of the world through leadership, i5 Conscious Leadership bridges self-consciousness and organizational consciousness for leaders that are ready to embrace higher level leadership to achieve exceptional employee engagement and business growth.

She is also the CEO of Marissa International,?her global speaking and transcendental coaching platform to help leaders and organizations reach their highest potential. Marissa is passionate about educating and empowering leaders, teams, organizations, and communities through her speaking. Reach out if you believe your people, members, and communities would benefit from guidance and wisdom to live a more empowered, conscious, and joyful life.

**?No AI/Chat GPT search/copying was used to write this article. All content flows from the author's own insights, creativity, and commitment to an authentic human connection.