“I’m an includer”
Thanksgiving is one of the best holidays. Spending time with family or friends, eating, watching football, and relaxing – a great day indeed.
This time of year, you won’t have a hard time finding blogs, stories, and quotes about gratitude. And that’s great, it’s important to step back and realize that there’s plenty of things we all have to be thankful for. But because Thanksgiving is a great example of inclusion, something in which I’m a big believer, I’d like to instead take this time to talk about that.
Out to eat with my guys – very thankful for moments like this
While most holidays are all about family, Thanksgiving is one that includes friends. I remember in college when I didn’t have family to spend the holiday with, a friend invited me to his family’s celebration and they welcomed me like one of their own. There were years several of us had to work on Thanksgiving so, rather than try to get to a family Thanksgiving a few or hundreds of miles away, we’d get together after and enjoy a meal together. Now, Friendsgivings are nearly as popular as traditional Thanksgivings. Even the first Thanksgiving was an event where all were invited to attend.
My personality, or a strong trait of it, is an Includer. While most obvious in work and social settings, this effort of inclusion spills over into my wellness life.
I’ve run several races with others, primarily with Ainsley’s Angels inclusive running group. I blogged last year why inclusive diets are better than restrictive eating plans. And I’m all for including any type of exercise into a fitness regime, whether that’s Crossfit, running, Bodypump, or cycling.
So let’s celebrate the underlying theme of Thanksgiving by remembering life is good when we include, not leave out. Some of those things I include in life to keep my wellness bucket full are the obvious: running, lifting weights, and regularly eating lots of foods that I love.
p.s. how fun was it that I got to include the word, cornucopia, in a blog?
And it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without also noting those things that I’m thankful for, that I get to include in my life – the ability to be fit and the opportunity to have access to eat a variety of foods, and of course my friends, family, and special shoutouts to Burton, Blitz, Chris, and Abel.
What are some of the good things you make sure to include in your life? Do you feel happy and well when you include vs. exclude? Comment or tweet me @LindsayIRL.