Tips for a Stress Free Thanksgiving - Thanksgiving without the Anxiety

For many people Thankgiving means family, friends, food- with a good helping of complicated relationships and emotional upheval on the side! No one is immune from the awkward encounter, running into ex's, or buried family drama.

But why spoil a good meal, and a good time, when there are ways to take control of all inner turmoil.

Here are some tips from Oprah (who else?) on having a stress free Thanksgiving!

Be Yourself
Instead of trying to be who you think you "should" be with your family, friends, in-laws or guests, just relax and be yourself! So often we put unnecessary pressure on ourselves to be a certain way, impress people (even those we know well) or say the things we think others want to hear.

Choose to Focus on the Good Stuff
Make a commitment to focus on the things you like and appreciate about your friends and family members, instead of obsessing about the things that annoy or upset you. We almost always find what we look for in others and situations.

Make It Fun and Easy
Do whatever you can for yourself and those around you to make the planning, food preparation, cleanup and whole Thanksgiving experience as easy, fun and stress-free as possible. This means we keep it light, share the responsibilities, ask others for help and do the things that we enjoy—instead of burdening ourselves and feeling like a victim.

Express Your Appreciation For Others
One of best things we can do for other people (on Thanksgiving, or at any time) is to let them know what we appreciate about them in a genuine way. Acknowledging others is a true win-win, as we always get to keep what we give away when we appreciate them (i.e. the good feelings are shared by us and those we acknowledge). There are many ways we can appreciate people on Thanksgiving, including:

• Write "I'm thankful for you" cards and give them out on Thanksgiving (or mail them beforehand).
• Pick someone at the dinner table to acknowledge, and then ask them to "pay it forward" and appreciate someone else in the group. Go around until everyone has been appreciated.
• Pull people aside on Thanksgiving (or give them a call) and let them know what you appreciate about them specifically and genuinely.

Count Your Blessings
Remember that amid all the commotion, stress and activity of the holiday season, Thanksgiving really is a time for us to reflect on what we're grateful for—in life, about others and especially about ourselves.