So here we are… it’s the holidays! With Thanksgiving tomorrow, we’re officially kicking off the season. How are you feeling about it? Do you even know? Take just a minute and check in with yourself. What’s running through your mind right now? And if you’re multitasking while reading this—I already know exactly how you’re feeling!

Gratitude

It seems fitting to give gratitude its moment. For many of you who have followed my journey, you know gratitude isn’t just a feeling—it’s a way of life. I had the chance to talk about that last week on the TODAY show. If you’re looking for a few new ways to practice gratitude on your own or with friends or family, I shared a few ideas here.

I also love Donald Altman’s GLAD acronym, which offers a fresh spin on gratitude, and the shared iPhone note my daughter, sister, and I keep called “Good Things Are Always Happening to Me,” where we each add moments of gratitude several times a week. When I can’t find it for myself, I will see something one of them has written, and it will spark gratitude in me. Try it with a few friends this season and see for yourself how encouraged you will feel. 

Navigating Difficult Relationships

For those of you who know the season will inevitably involve tense interactions with family, I want you to remember that you do have choices. I shared many of my insights on navigating difficult relationships with Oprah Daily in this article, which I hope will help you move through the tougher dynamics with more clarity and peace.

Something Good

And even in these times, I think about the wisdom of “not every day is good, but there is something good in every day.” It brings us back to gratitude and how it transforms the lens through which we look at the world if we make it a way of life. 

Yesterday, I picked up my college girl Natalia from Boston, so today I am ever so grateful to have all of my kids under my roof together again.

It is true. It is the simple things, yet they don’t feel so simple when you realize how incredibly central they are to a meaningful life. What simple or not so simple things are you more mindful of this year? Please reply to this email and share them. 

I’m Grateful for You!

I am grateful to you for reading this newsletter and for being a part of this community. I know your time is limited and your most valuable resource, and I am deeply grateful that you share it with me. Thank you also for your support of All is Calmish. It is making quite the rounds, and I am so thankful for your support. 

CALMish Reading Plan

Lastly, please join me in reading this book. Below is a tentative reading plan, and I will be on IG Live every Wednesday morning at 8:30 am ET talking about the week’s readings. But go at your own pace and join me when you can as I share a few reflections. {This week’s IG Live was postponed to tomorrow, November 27—because I’m trying to get things done today, like you!)

From Chaos to Calm-ish: Holiday Survival for Disability Parents

Feeling the holiday overwhelm creep in already? I join Amy Julia Becker to unpack why disability families carry extra emotional weight this time of year—and how small, doable shifts can bring more peace. We explore:

• realistic expectations

• micro-moments of delight

• asking for help

• building a holiday season that fits your family, not Instagram

Book Launch Event • Ridgefield Playhouse

There’s still time to get your tickets for December 3 and join me, TODAY’s Dylan Dreyer, and comedian Tim Washer for a joy-filled holiday kickoff! Musical guest will lift your spirits, I will be signing books, and we have CALMish gifts for those in your family who need it most—especially you! Can’t wait to see you there!

Gratitude Snapshots

Wishing you slow, deep breaths, moments of awe and wonder, and unexpected joy—as we begin the season together.

In Case You Missed It

Why 3 Good Things?

Wellness isn’t one big thing—it’s three good things, or two good things, or five. It’s noticing the gifts of the life we have.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ve probably heard me talk about “3 Good Things.” It’s the question I often ask my kids and one of my favorite gratitude practices.

Research shows that identifying three good things each day can actually rewire your brain from negativity to optimism in just 30 days. Follow along for my 3GT each week! And send me yours! I want to hear from you.