What If This Thanksgiving You’re Most Grateful For Not Going Back To Your Pre-Pandemic Self?

It’s okay to want to keep the new you

Last Thanksgiving was our first alone as a family — just me, my boyfriend, and our pup. It was a forced choice because of the pandemic, but at the end of that night I knew I would choose it again and again.

If I’m honest, the feeling surprised me. For so long, I’d tried to fit into my larger family’s celebration even though I felt so out of place. Last year helped me realize I didn’t have to try to hold up a tradition that no longer fit me.

Same is true with all facets of our identities, habits, or traditions.

If you’re walking into this holiday season and your main thought is, “I don’t want to go backwards”…don’t.

Follow your intuition and let it lead you towards a new chapter in your life. We’re at our most creative when we’re at our most honest, this goes back to all aspects of our lives, not just our creative habits.

Yes, what we’ve always known has a level of comfort to it, but comfort doesn’t mean it’s right for you, it just means it’s comfortable. Maybe being uncomfortable for a little bit actually helps open up new perspectives or avenues in your life.