Hellooooooo,

Well, the first set of holidays is upon us and while I sincerely hope yours are filled with nothing but light and love, I’m thinking that there might also be moments of drama and frustration, what with the vagaries of travel and—well—family.

What do I recommend should you happen to experience emotions that are less than thankful?

Your own personal “recombobulation area.”

You see, I took the photo, above, this past Monday in the Milwaukee airport where it hangs just beyond the security checkpoint, alerting you to the designated area for putting your shoes back on, stuffing your computer back in your bag and patting your pockets to ensure you did, indeed, pick up your keys and cell phone. 

As I’m sure you have experienced, all of the above allows you to move toward your gate with greater equanimity.

How can you build a personal recombobulation area?

As I’m sure you’ve guessed, this is not a bricks and mortar job. 

I ‘build’ mine by ensuring a few quiet transition moments that allow me to step away from the group and gather my thoughts: a sink full of dishes, a dog that ‘needs’ to be walked, a short yoga practice…. 

Anything that allows me to gather my frazzled thoughts so I can move forward with greater equanimity.

Happy Thanksgiving!

For more tips on how to survive the holidays, see “If You’ve Really Got to Go: Your Guide to a Stress-Free Thanksgiving”.