This year, we’ve been intentional about living more in the present. This way of life has minimized the urge to constantly get ahead of ourselves and maintain a reputation that isn’t truly where we are in life. But when life gets busier, we often put our good intentions to be present on the back burner. So, as we approach the holidays, it’s important to carve out opportunities and intentionality to be more grounded with the people you love.
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We put together the ultimate list of in-depth table talk icebreakers that are sure to make your company think again and dig deeper this Thanksgiving. Take some time to bask in nostalgia, lament bygones, release anxieties, celebrate wins, gain accountability, and so much more with these prompts. Get to know family members and friends in a non-surface level way to create deeper bonding. These questions can be a form of group entertainment with cue cards or informally slipped into side conversations. Use this list of 30 conversation starters to increase mindfulness and presence this Thanksgiving.
30 Mindfulness Prompts to Share With Loved Ones
What are some things that make you feel at home wherever you are?
What’s been the peak of this year so far?
What problems do you have that are actually good problems?
What is something you can turn to for a good laugh?
What’s something that keeps you up at night?
What message would you give to your younger self?
What’s something you let go of that you wish you stuck with?
List some creative ways that you can connect back with family.
On a scale of 1-10, how are you doing mentally?
What is something that inspires you about [X]? Name a person.
In what ways can you better commit to your current goals?
What are some projects that you are interested in pursuing in your personal life outside of work?
What has been the lowest point of this year?
Name a privilege you have that you don’t take lightly.
If you could end one world crisis, what would it be? Bonus: What could you do in your life to work toward its resolution?
What’s one small thing you can do to feel more [X]? Example: healthy.
What’s something you’ve read or watched that changed your life completely?
What are some practices you use to get out of a funk?
What would be the theme song of your life at this point?
Name something you want to improve in the coming year.
To whom do you credit your present state of being?
Name something that was hard to say goodbye to.
What are some connections in your world that you can share with others?
What’s something you would love to learn more about?
What’s an experience from this year that you’d love to relive?
In what ways can you be a more supportive friend?
What’s an insecurity you deal with frequently?
List some ways you can practice self-care that complement your love language.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
What’s something that’s changed about you over the last six months?
Maybe it’s the “new school year” energy or the desire to shed what’s no longer serving us like leaves on the trees, but fall offers the perfect time to turn inward and reflect on your goals for the end of the year. During this transitional time, take stock of what is no longer serving you, whether it’s negative thought patterns, an unfulfilling job, or a relationship you’ve outgrown. To help sift through the tides of seasonal change, we’ve curated a list of powerful affirmations that are perfect for the season. Keep reading to find one (or a few!) that resonates with you this season, and repeat it to yourself daily.
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1. I am letting go of what no longer serves me.
2. Abundance surrounds me.
3. I am so grateful for my life.
4. I choose rest.
5. I am shedding negativity.
6. I reflect light into the world.
7. I am thankful for this present moment.
8. Each new day is a gift of opportunity and growth.
9. I am grateful for the knowledge gained from every obstacle in my life.
10. I openly welcome the change of new seasons.
11. The changing colors and cooling temperatures give me a new perspective.
12. This is a season for transformation.
13. I am radiant, healthy, and grateful.
14. I am worthy of what I desire.
15. I surround myself with people who bring out the best in me.
16. I am grateful for my past, my present, and where the future is leading me.
17. I am certain that my success is inevitable, and I can lean into that certainty.
18. Infinite possibilities are available to me now.
19. I release negative thoughts and replace them with a loving perspective.
20. Everything I need, I already have.
21. I am grateful for the people in my life that feel like home.
22. I radiate confidence and trust in my abilities.
23. I am stepping into the truest version of myself.
24. I release any doubts holding me back from what I want.
25. I am open to the magic of better and better.
26. I am learning the art of release.
27. This season I am softening into change.
28. I savor the present moment.
29. I am seeking contentment, not perfection.
30. I am thankful for the beautiful shifts around me and in me.
For quick anxiety relief, look to … your freezer? Y’all know we love a good hack here at BeautyLeeBar, so when our FYP served us a video about “vagus nerve icing” to quell anxiety in record time, we had to look into it.
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As it turns out, there’s something to it.
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First, let’s turn to the longest cranial nerve in the body—the vagus nerve. It runs from the brain to the abdomen, carrying signals from the brain to organs and organs to the brain. It regulates important body functions like heart rate, respiratory rate, and digestion, plus some reflexes like swallowing and vomiting.
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The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). A quick refresher on the nervous system: The PNS is responsible for “rest and digest,” and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) takes care of “fight or flight.” When activated, the vagus nerve tells the body to calm the eff down by slowing the heart rate and lowering blood pressure. (Tbh, that’s the only time we’re okay with being told to calm down.)
Studies have suggested that stimulating the vagus nerve with a cold can help regulate the nervous system and lower heart rate.
Cooling hard-boiled eggs in a glass bowl with cold water and ice cubes.
Vagus nerve icing is popular on TikTok, thanks to a video by Frankie Simmons, who relies on this hack when she can’t fall back asleep. “I swear, when I found this, an hour and a half of trying to calm myself down to get back to sleep when I woke up at 4 am turned into 15 minutes,” she says in the video.
It’s not just a TikTok thing, however. Cold temperature is also used as a distress tolerance skill in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Distress tolerance = being able to handle tough emotions without becoming overwhelmed. It’s a short-term coping strategy that can quickly reduce the intensity of emotions.
To say Sydney Sweeney is a rising star is an understatement. Her on-screen resume reads like a must-watch TV ad: Euphoria, The White Lotus, The Handmaid’s Tale, Everything Sucks! Clementine, The Voyeurs, and Sharp Objects—to name a few. And she made her first debut at fashion’s biggest night out (AKA the Met Gala) this year, proving she can add fashion “It Girl” to her experience. It’s not all fame and fashion for the Idaho native—she restores cars, sweats it out in the MMA cage, spoils her rescue pup, and prioritizes her mental health (a far cry from her Cassie and Olivia characters). We turned to our trusted celebrity sources to get the details on how Sydney finds balance. Read on for five ways Sydney looks after her mental well-being. Celeb or not, we can learn a thing or two from her.
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Make time for self-care
Carving out me-time has never been more embraced than it is now, but I’d argue that we could all still use a little nudge now and then. Sydney backs me up on that. She reminds us that self-care is individualized and can shift depending on the day or season in your life. “You can be OK one day and it’s OK if you’re not the next because I think you have to start every day new, and you have to start every day trying to appreciate and love yourself, which can be difficult sometimes,” she said. Sydney’s form of self-care? Uses her nifty ice roller, getting lost in HGTV, setting relaxing vibes with candles, and chills with her dog.
Deciding what you need to take care of yourself can be a challenge (let alone finding the time to squeeze it in). But self-care can make a world of difference between feeling burned out and empowered. So, whether it’s building your sense of self-worth, working on catching more Zzzs, or moving your body, prioritize your mental wellness.
Stretch your budget
You probably don’t think of your finances when it comes to boosting your mental health, but Sydney encourages thinking twice about how you spend your hard-earned cash. “My family has always ingrained value in stretching a budget and the importance of money to my mind,” she toldYahoo Life. “When you don’t save correctly and don’t spend your money on important things where it’s supposed to be spent, [I saw] what the damage can be.” Sydney was taught the value of a dollar at a young age, and that has translated into her spending habits to this day.
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Start by creating a budget and start tracking your expenses to see where you can save (yes, there are apps for that.) If you’re ahead of the game (kudos to you!). There are other simple money-saving tricks of the trade: Give yourself 24 hours before checking out for any impulse and got to-have-it-now buys. Use coupon sites like RetailMeNot and Honey for necessary purchases, and unplug any unused electronics (looking at you, TV). The silver lining? Save a la Sydney, and you won’t cramp your hot girl summer style.
I know, easier said than done, but take comfort in knowing this: Even celebs get self-conscious and need to be reminded to practice self-love. Sydney told Glamour that she gets nervous before every red-carpet appearance because she has to put her IRL self out there, instead of a character she’s playing. In her interview with Yahoo Life, she said self-confidence is a daily process. “Some days I will feel great and some days I don’t want to get out of bed, and I think that it’s OK if you feel both ways… And sometimes I’m not happy with myself or something just doesn’t feel right. I think it’s important for everyone to know that everyone has feelings, and it’s OK if you don’t feel confident one day, but just know that you’re beautiful, no matter what.” Our bodies do so much for us, and we only have one for the rest of our lives. Bottom line: Do yourself a favor and take care of your body.
If “I love my body,” feels out of reach, that’s OK. Take a page out of Sydney’s book and start with honing in on all that your body is capable of doing, rather than what it looks like. There’s so much more to us than physical bodies after all. Try to take judgment out of the equation, and accept that self-love is a journey (with twists and turns, U-turns, and detours), not a race.
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Sweat it out
Sydney isn’t just a badass on screen: BTS, she is killing it in her workouts. From practicing mixed martial arts (AKA MMA) to two-a-day walks with her dog, Tank, it’s no wonder she has rock-hard abs to go with her crop top and red carpet looks. Admitting she’s not a fan of the treadmill, she takes to her neighborhood or the beach for quick runs to clear her mind. And if she has more time for a workout, she gets her heart pumping with a workout video. (Is anyone else wondering if she needs a workout buddy? Same.) To make the most of your exercise routine, mix it up like Sydney. Try a new workout you may be intimidated by, or head outdoors for a stroll, hike, or run. It’s the perfect way to switch up your current routine if you find yourself in a fitness rut.
As if her acting resume isn’t impressive enough, Sydney channeled her love of academia into business school classes while filming The Handmaid’s Tale. “I want to be able to read my contracts and know what the hell they say, so I’m not getting f*ed over,” she told Cosmopolitan. In 2020, she even launched her own production company, Fifty-Fifty Films, to support first-time female authors, nascent directors, and promising screenwriters. Could she be any more lovable?
If you’re having car troubles or find yourself stranded on the side of the road, Sydney is your girl. Taking ride-or-die to another level, she told Pure Wow that she has always been interested in cars. And that’s no joke—she took apart and rebuilt a Ford Bronco. Whether it’s the Virgo in her or not, she’s doing her mental health a lot of good by continuously cultivating new experiences. Researchshows that learning new skills improves your mental well-being by helping you raise self-esteem and build a sense of purpose. So, if you’ve been contemplating picking up a new hobby (think: journaling, reading, cooking), take this as a sign to get at it.
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