Slowing Down for Thanksgiving
The pace of the Bay Area doesn’t exactly slow down for the holidays. Tech deadlines don’t always pause, the traffic on 101 can test anyone’s patience, and even the festive parts of this season can leave the nervous system buzzing.
That’s why Thanksgiving is a good time to practice something many of us skip: intentionally slowing down.
Here are a few simple, grounding rituals you can use to bring your body out of “go mode” and into something steadier, calmer, and more connected—before, during, or after the holiday.
Take a 10-Minute “Arrival Walk” Before Gathering
Before you step into a busy home full of voices, food, and activity, give your system a chance to transition.
If you're in the East Bay, the shoreline paths at César Chávez Park, Crissy Field, or even the Berkeley Marina offer open space and salty air that help downshift your breathing.
If you’re in the South Bay, a slow stroll at Shoreline, Rancho San Antonio, or around your neighborhood works just as well.
The idea isn’t exercise. It’s arrival.
Notice your feet on the ground, your breath, and your surroundings. Ten minutes is enough.
A Simple Pre-Meal Grounding Moment
Thanksgiving meals can be sensory overload—smells, conversations, clatter in the kitchen.
Try a 20–30 second ritual before eating:
Place both feet on the floor
Relax your jaw and shoulders
Inhale for 4 counts, exhale for 6
Notice one thing you’re genuinely grateful your body carried you through this year
This helps stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system so digestion is easier and your mind feels more settled.
Build a “Slow Hour” Into Your Weekend
Choose one hour—morning or evening—where you commit to no phone, no tasks, and no noise.
A few Bay Area favorites that naturally support slowing down:
Lands End at sunrise
Mount Davidson Park for quiet forest air
Redwood Regional Park for a reset that feels miles from the city
Half Moon Bay beaches for gentle sound + open space
If leaving the house feels like too much, light a candle, stretch, or drink tea in silence. The point is to protect one uninterrupted hour where your body finally gets a break from constant input.
A Transitional Ritual for After the Weekend
After the holiday ends, your body often needs help shifting back into its routine.
Try this 5-minute reset:
Lie on the floor with your legs propped on a couch or chair
Let your ribs soften into the ground
Take five long exhales
Notice where your body feels tense and allow it to drop by 1%
This brief position helps release low back tension and quiet the stress response—especially helpful after hours of sitting, cooking, or driving across the Bay.
A Final Note
Thanksgiving doesn’t need to be about squeezing in more, doing more, or performing more. For many people in the Bay Area, the real healing happens in the pockets of slowness we intentionally choose.
A few minutes of grounding can shift your entire day. And when your nervous system feels supported, your relationships, digestion, energy, and mood tend to follow.
