Savoring The Small Things This Thanksgiving
As we enter the full swing of the holiday season, our Head of Client Experience, Kellie Jenkins, offers a gentle reflection on the small grounding practices that help her stay present, centered, and connected to what matters most.
As we move toward Thanksgiving, we all feel the familiar pull between wanting to be present with the people we love and the demands that are ever-present at this time of year. While my tendency in these moments is to seek out a big reset to feel centered, over time I’ve discovered that what helps more are the small things that keep me connected to my true self amid the busyness of the holiday season.
I’ve experimented with various practices over the years, and these are the ones I return to most often:
Noticing three specific things I’m grateful for…
Often they’re ordinary: the way the dog rests her head on her paws, a colleague’s thoughtful comment, the freshly baked cookies with my cup of tea. Naming them helps me pay attention to what’s important to me in this moment.
Taking one photo of something that brings me joy…
I don’t share it anywhere: it’s simply a way to hold onto a fleeting moment of joy or beauty. Sometimes it’s a dazzling landscape; the sun rising over the river and other times it’s a detail I would’ve rushed past if I wasn’t intentionally looking for it; a colorful flower hanging on among the Fall foliage.
Writing one sentence about the day…
When a day feels full, a single sentence in my journals distills it all into a tangible reminder of a life rushing past too quickly : “Happy to be heading home after a successful client workshop.”, “Back in my routine feeling confident and accomplished.” It’s a gentle way to capture the things that matter most.
Choosing a word that reflects my state of mind…
Calm, stretched, curious, unsettled—whatever fits. Then a short note about why. Over time, this has expanded my vocabulary for what I’m feeling and revealed patterns I wouldn’t have seen otherwise.
I have moved in and out of these practices depending on the season or stage of life. Some of them have become near-daily rituals, although sometimes I lose consistency for days or even weeks. However, I usually find my way back there because I know deep down that these habits help me stay aware of where my energy is going and how I’m showing up—for my work, my family, and myself.
An Invitation to Try Your Own Experiment
If you’re curious to try something different this holiday season, consider designing a tiny experiment for the period between Thanksgiving and New Year. You might choose one of the practices above or something entirely your own—a short walk after lunch, a weekly note of appreciation, or a brief pause before your last meeting of the day. Choose something that feels meaningful and doable, and let it show you what it has to offer.
When the calendar turns to 2026, take a quiet moment to look back. What supported you? What made it work? What didn’t—and what got in the way? If there’s one element you’d carry into the New Year, which one would it be, and how might you make it even easier to continue?
To me, this is part of the foundational fitness we need to lead a whole human life. It isn’t about adding more. It’s about creating a little space to notice, name, and choose—especially in a season that can easily pull us in many directions.
— Written by Kellie Jenkins, Head of Client Experience, The Axela Group.
Kellie’s work centers on helping leaders and teams bring intention, clarity, and humanity into the moments that matter most. Her reflections are a reminder that leadership often begins with noticing the small things—and allowing them to shape how we show up for ourselves and others.