James Sampson’s Post

Why do we treat Thanksgiving differently? Hear me out... Any other day of the year if we were stuffing our faces until over full like a ravaged dog, feeling deathly sick from eating too much, unbuttoning our pants in front of others to make space for our belly, etc. it wouldn't be socially acceptable behavior. It would be frowned upon. Why? Because it's gluttony. And gluttony is sin. We know instinctively it's wrong. It's wired into us from God. Why do we feel some form of freedom to do what we know isn't right on this particular day? One reason: Cultural norms. This is why you have to be prepared to stand alone in life sometimes. To go against the flow. You will find countless ways that culture creates opportunity and even praise for people who make small compromises. It gets celebrated. And those compromises grow into bigger things - sometimes even spiritual and physical death. 'Although they know God’s just sentence — that those who practice such things deserve to die — they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them.' -Romans 1:32 Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE Thanksgiving and I eat some delicious food, and enjoy the goodness of God and celebrate His blessings to us. I'm not anti-Thanksgiving, nor am I a grumpy buzz-kill. Our family celebrates! Christians SHOULD celebrate and party. I simply want to call out that the cultural "water we swim in" often has us behaving in ways we are not mindful of the effects of. Usually leading us to compromise. So how should we approach Thanksgiving? How do we have a battle plan for the day that lets us enjoy it fully, while embracing self-control and restraint? How do we master Thanksgiving? Tomorrow on The Mission Briefing I'm going to unpack my suggested plan for how men can approach this day with joy, maintain balance, have fun, eat delicious food, and not compromise. Join us via the link in the comments.

"But the holidays come with a good measure of stress as well as joyful celebration. Sometimes it’s our rigid adherence to “the way things should be,” while other times we let our expectations get the best of us and are disappointed when things don’t “go according to plan.” I suggest instead of focusing on our preparation and expectations we turn our attention to gratitude and how thankful we are to have the love of our family and friends no matter where or how we celebrate this Thanksgiving holiday." Read more at Drsherryboles.substack.com.

🦃 This Thanksgiving, Let’s Truly See Each Other 🍂 Thanksgiving often focuses on the visible: 🟠 Tables overflowing with food. 🟠 Gratitude lists shared at dinner. 🟠 The familiar presence of loved ones. But this year, I’ve been reflecting on something less obvious yet just as essential: the art of truly seeing and being seen. David Brooks, in "How to Know a Person", reminds us: “Being deeply seen is as essential to the human spirit as food or water.” And yet, how often do we rush through life, reducing people to roles, labels, or fleeting impressions? We notice what’s on their plates—but miss what’s in their hearts. ----- What if this Thanksgiving was different? What if we shifted our gratitude from things to connections? Not just saying “thank you,” but offering the gift of genuine attention: ✨ Asking deeper questions. ✨ Truly listening. ✨ Helping others feel valued and understood. Here’s how we can start today (and every day): 1️⃣ Slow down -- Don’t just ask “How are you?”—instead try, “What’s something you’re proud of this year?” or “What’s been on your mind lately?” 2️⃣ Notice the small things -- A warm laugh, a quiet moment of reflection—acknowledge them with kindness. 3️⃣ Be generous with your attention -- Share your presence like you’d share food, to nourish the people around you. As Brooks says: “The ultimate gift you can give is to make someone feel valued, heard, and understood.” ----- This Thanksgiving, let’s serve up more than turkey. Let’s truly see each other. How will you make someone feel seen this holiday? Happy Thanksgiving! 🧡

As Thanksgiving 🦃 approaches, many of us are getting ready to spend time with family and friends. While these moments are filled with blessings, they also require us to navigate different personalities. Whether it’s differing opinions on politics, sports rivalries, or preferences for how we live our daily lives, we all have our differences. This morning, my lesson from the book 52 Lessons from It’s a Wonderful Life by Bob Welch was this: Lesson 17: Look for the Best in People In the movie, George Bailey shows kindness and respect to Violet Beck, the "bad girl" of Bedford Falls. George didn't judge Violet for what he saw, he pointed out the good in her when she needed to hear it most. When Clarence shows George what life would have been like without him, we see how much of a positive impact George’s kindness had on Violet’s life. As you prepare for your Thanksgiving celebrations, take a moment to focus on the positive qualities of your loved ones. We are all unique, and it's natural that we may not always agree. Sometimes, it's easy to focus on the flaws in others (like Violet in It's a Wonderful Life), but it’s important to look beyond those differences and recognize the goodness that’s in everyone. The same approach applies to our coworkers. In business, it takes a variety of people to make things run smoothly. Take time to acknowledge and encourage the positive contributions you see in others—whether at home or at work. This Thanksgiving let’s be intentional about searching for the good in those around us and offering praise and gratitude for the unique blessings they bring into our lives. 🙏

Happy Thanksgiving! It’s hard to believe that it’s been over a year since I started Smash Your Thinking and shared my thoughts on this important holiday. (Choose Your Own Thanksgiving Adventure) This year, I want to give some quick tips and build on some of last year’s ideas about managing family and friend dynamics today—and into your foreseeable future. Quick Tips Here are some concrete ways to enhance your gratitude and patience with family and friends: 1. Shift Perspective Remember my advice from last year about not trying to change anyone’s opinions? Apply this to your interactions today. Instead of going down a road of frustration, force yourself to focus on listening more and highlighting what’s positive about each person. 2. Reset Expectations I’m reminded of the importance of letting go of many expectations we have of ourselves and others, and then embracing the present realities. People are rarely exactly the way you want them to be. Remember, you are rarely exactly the way they want you to be either. Let go of some expectations of them, and be aware that they have false expectations of you too. 3. Appreciate Don’t take out your notebook during the meal, of course, but do keep a mental gratitude ‘journal’ during the gathering. Notice small gestures of kindness. Appreciate what’s positive and life-giving. Focus on what’s right, and appreciate it. 4. Breathe It’s hard to be mentally stressed when you’re physically relaxed. Be intentional about remaining calm and present. Breathe—before, during, and after challenging conversations. It adds oxygen to your brain and helps you remember everyone usually has positive intentions. 5. Connect Ultimately, Thanksgiving is about connection. Drawing from last year’s blog, focus on creating a positive impact, making others feel good about themselves, and appreciating the unique perspectives around the table. There You Have It As we gather today, let’s remember that gratitude isn’t just about saying “thank you”—it’s about truly seeing and appreciating the people in our lives. Wishing you all a Thanksgiving filled with warmth, understanding, and genuine connection! https://lnkd.in/eTwjgnvM

Thanksgiving is often a season for gratitude—but let’s not ignore the stress that can come with it. Balancing busy schedules, family obligations, and the pressure to show up in spaces that might not align with your peace can leave you feeling drained. Here’s a question: What if you didn’t feel obligated to attend gatherings that disrupt your well-being? What if Thanksgiving reflected your values, boundaries, and needs? Here are three ways to rethink Thanksgiving this year: 1️⃣ Protect Your Time: Just because you have the day off doesn’t mean you have to give it away. Be intentional about how you spend it. 2️⃣ Set Clear Boundaries: It’s okay to skip conversations—or entire gatherings—that disrupt your peace. No is a complete sentence. 3️⃣ Reimagine the Day: Host a Friendsgiving, volunteer, or simply enjoy some much-needed rest. Your time is yours to define. This season, let’s embrace the idea that choosing peace is a form of gratitude. You don’t have to endure stress or discomfort to honor tradition. 💡 How are you planning to protect your peace this Thanksgiving? Drop your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear! 👉🏾 For more tips, check out my latest blog: Thanksgiving Without the Stress: Choosing Peace - https://wix.to/OYxmbJZ

Thanksgiving is complicated. Especially this year. While we pine for the iconic holiday fantasy of eating way too much turkey and stuffing, watching football, and hanging out with friends and family (even the annoying ones), the truth is more challenging for many of us. One survey found that “people would rather skip dessert than risk hearing another one of their uncle’s disagreeable political rants.” Are we surprised? As we head into Thanksgiving after a high pressure election, wars continuing in the Middle East and Russia, and with many people stressed and on high alert…how can we give thanks, connect with those around us, and also have challenging conversations—even if we know we all won’t agree? The answer: build a brave space. According to Rabbi Matthew Gewirtz, an expert facilitator (who also happens to be my brother-in-law), a Brave Space, distinct from a safe space, supports and encourages us to be able to talk about hard things, but coming from a place of compassion and humanity. Matthew has a framework that all of us can use not only at work, but during our Thanksgiving meal as well. Here are the four steps to build a Brave Space: 1️⃣ History – Seek to understand someone’s history. What makes them who they are? Don’t assume you know everything about Annoying Uncle Fred’s background. Be brave enough to ask him. 2️⃣ Good faith – Make sure people know that you're coming from a place of positive intent. We often assume the opposite (I know I've been guilty of this!). 3️⃣ Be a grown up – In other words, bring your whole self to the table. Or as I sometimes rephrase it: “Bring your most appropriate self.” 4️⃣ Find out what people care about – When you find out what drives people and what they truly care about, it's easier to find compassion. So when Uncle Fred (or in my kids’ case, Uncle Ethan) goes on his rant, remember Rabbi Matt’s framework for building a Brave Space, and you may find yourself showing more compassion and asking him to pass the mashed potatoes. May your Thanksgiving dinner table be a brave space for you and your loved ones this year. I hope it will be for mine.

Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday. 🍂 It's a moment to pause and reflect on what truly...matters. It's easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle. To forget the simple joys that life offers. But Thanksgiving gives us a chance to remember. There's one idea that resonates deeply with me, especially during this season: Gratitude. 🙏 Gratitude is the silent hero in our stories. It shapes our perspective and drives our creativity. In many ways, it's the foundation of our work in the creative industry. Here are a few proverbs that remind me of the essence of Thanksgiving: • Gratitude turns what we have into enough. • The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest. This holiday, as we gather around tables, let's embrace gratitude. 🦃 Let's appreciate the ideas that make our lives richer, the connections that make us stronger, and the challenges that make us better. A happy and safe Thanksgiving to all. May your day be filled with warmth, laughter, and inspiration! 🎉 #Thanksgiving #Gratitude

As Thanksgiving approaches, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on something truly meaningful: the connections we’ve built in our professional lives. Your network is more than just a collection of names—it’s a community of individuals who have supported you, inspired you, and helped you grow. This Thanksgiving, I have a challenge for you: Go into your LinkedIn connections and give thanks by writing recommendations for five people in your network. Think about a colleague who went above and beyond, a mentor who shared their wisdom, or a client who’s been a joy to work with. A thoughtful recommendation isn’t just a gift to them—it’s a way to strengthen your relationship and show your appreciation in a lasting way. Here’s how: 🦃 Go to their LinkedIn profile. 🦃 Click the “More” button under their profile picture and select “Give a Recommendation.” 🦃 Write something specific, meaningful, and genuine about the value they bring. It’ll only take a few minutes per person, but the impact? Immense. So, are you ready to take on this challenge? Five people, five recommendations, and a whole lot of gratitude shared this holiday season. Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with joy, connection, and reflection. PS The image is of my favorite Thanksgiving! It was in 2017 that we had visitors from Slovakia and China, along with my grandmother's sister... in addition to everyone else! 🗨 What are you doing for Thanksgiving this year? I'd love it if you'd share in the comments!

𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘆 🦃🥧✨ Thanksgiving. The one day a year when calories get a free pass and Uncle Bob’s awkward stories are the highlight of the evening. (And let’s be honest, it’s even more fun if you’ve invited the cousin who proudly voted for the other party and still thinks it was a great idea.) But let’s be real, Thanksgiving is not just about stuffing your stomach (though Aunt Carol’s mashed potatoes could win a Michelin star). It is about filling your heart with love 🥰, connection 🤗, and gratitude🙏. Want to take it up a notch? Go beyond the table talk. Express your appreciation, sprinkle your words with encouragement 🙌, and serve up kindness straight from the heart. That President's Choice Financial ad gets it. The food is not the star of the show but the bridge that brings people together 🤝. In the ad, young people chose connection over loneliness, placing their dishes in the corridor to create a communal Thanksgiving meal. Beyond food, it is about the courage to reach out and say, “Let’s not be alone.” Because the best part of Thanksgiving is not the food on the table; it is the people around it. But why stop at just one day? In the United States, 36% of Americans, including 61% of young adults, report serious loneliness. Globally, about 33% of people feel isolated, with countries like Brazil reaching 50%! If that is not a sign that we need more connection, I do not know what is. Imagine if Thanksgiving was not just a holiday but a mindset. Catch someone doing good and tell them how you appreciate them. Share a meal without checking your phone. Be present. Gratitude does not need gravy to be served. Here is a thought to make the day truly meaningful: Who will you invite home this year who might otherwise feel lonely? A neighbor, a friend, or someone who could use a little extra warmth? #ThanksgivingEveryday #GratitudeMatters #TogetherIsBetter #CelebrateConnection #MomentsThatMatter #EndLoneliness #Thanksgiving ##ThanksgivingDinner