You Don’t Have to Earn Your Thanksgiving Dinner

For so long my Thanksgiving day required a super long workout. Burning a ton of calories before dinner allowed me the freedom to enjoy it with less guilt.  Notice, I say “less guilt” vs. “no guilt”. Because regardless of feeling like I earned it, I still feared that one meal would erase all of my hard work.

I actually looked forward to both Thanksgiving day and Black Friday.  I’d get up Thanksgiving day and workout for at least 2 hours. Then I’d cook and eat and clean up and finally get a moment to rest.  I wouldn’t rest though. We’d have the football games on or some holiday show and I’d pace while we watched it. I could go to bed knowing that although I “splurged”, it was a holiday so it was “allowed.” Plus, there was Black Friday.

Black Friday has always been one of my most favorite days of the year.  Not for shopping, though. Props to y’all who love that chaos, but it’s not for me. Black Friday was my mental health day. I always looked forward to having the day all to myself to watch FoodNetwork and HGTV.  BUT FIRST, I worked out…for hours, then I’d shower and get back into PJs to settle in on the couch; and I actually did settle in. Black Friday was the day I gave myself permission to enjoy some downtime. The one day of the whole year.  But only after and IF I worked out. And if for any reason, that routine was altered in any way, it was ruined, and I wouldn’t get another “rest” day for an entire year.

Read that again:  ONE day in the entire year to allow myself a few hours of downtime.

Things are a little different now. I’m looking forward to a restful holiday without the anxiety of a workout. If it’s a nice day, I may get out for a leisurely walk, just to enjoy being outside. I’m going to eat all of the delicious holiday foods that bring wonderful memories and comfort…and NO guilt.

This is your reminder that you don’t need to earn your Thanksgiving meal, or any meal. You deserve delicious foods and downtime every single day.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends. I’m grateful for you. May you be grateful for you, as well.