By Hannah Whitesides, Retreat Leader & Fear Management Specialist for our Company Virtual Retreats

More than 1 million COVID-19 cases were reported in the United States over the last 7 days. As cases continue to increase rapidly across the United States, the safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving is to celebrate at home with the people you live with.

-Center for Disease Control (CDC) 

I live in Florida. My brother lives in Rhode Island. My grandparents live in West Virginia. My mother, aunt, uncle and cousins live in North Carolina. Since I can remember, Thanksgiving is the holiday that we all get together. It’s the one time of year that we can all see each other. If your family is like mine, this news can seem pretty devastating. You might even be tempted to ignore the CDC and travel anyway…I was.

This year has felt terribly isolating for everyone and the last thing you want to do is be alone on Thanksgiving but I have decided to stay in Florida and here’s why. 

1. I won’t actually be alone: My roommate is from Maryland and she is also staying in Florida. We’re going to have a few friends from our building over and have our own little Thanksgiving dinner in our apartment. If you’re in a similar situation, see if you can do the same! This way it won’t feel so lonely or like you’re skipping an important holiday. Try to meet with people who also live alone or work from home to lower the risk of exposure while allowing you to still see other people.

2. Avoiding Exposure: I am 24 years old which makes me one of the youngest people in my family. If I were to see my family, everyone I will see and spend time with is older. In addition, my grandparents are considered to be at risk. If I caught COVID during my travels and exposed them to it, I would never forgive myself. This is the main reason I decided to stay home. I was talking to my brother about it and I told him that I would feel guilty if I didn’t see them because I only get to see them once a year. He told me, “I understand but it is a much bigger act of selflessness and love to not see them this year.” 

3. Zooms-giving: Virtual is the new normal and in times like this, it’s a blessing. Set up a zoom call with your whole family on Thanksgiving. Cook virtually and share Thanksgiving dinner with them through your computer. We actually host some amazing cooking retreats here at Project Passport! Consider bringing one to your family this year as we can adapted our company packages to fit your family’s needs.

4. Self Assessment for Mental Wellbeing: This year has been chaotic for me in so many ways with rapid changes in life and work. I am planning to use this holiday to spend time reflecting on my own mental health and tracking what I need to continue to be happy and healthy. During the holidays, you rarely have time to work on yourself and track how you are feeling. This year makes a great time to do some self check in work since many of us have time off work to actually be alone.

While many people won’t get to see their families for Thanksgiving this year, it will be a reminder to appreciate the time you do get to spend with them. Get some friends, get some turkey, hop on Zoom and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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Project Passport is a proactive mental wellness company that aims to bring mental wellness retreats, workshops and other services to company teams. We also help women create joy in their lives every step of the way. To learn more about our company retreats and services, click here. To learn more about our tribe community for women, click here. Our travel retreats will resume in the future as the world reopens.