Step into your maturity now.

Come to expect the unexpected.

Come to expect the imbalances both in yourself and in others.

When there is fear there will also be greed, selfishness, and lack of consideration.

Do not be so surprised by this, as if it shouldn’t be this way.

It is this way, and until the fears are resolved this will continue.

It is your job to learn to love despite the imbalances.

It is your job to learn to find compassion for the selfish behavior.

It is your job to be the best you can be.

It is not your job to take their inventory.

It is your job to take the high road and do your best to navigate in difficult seas.

Rise to the occasion now.

Rise up.

Rise up.

Use your challenges as an opportunity to practice.

Use your challenges to help you become stronger in the face of adversity.

Use your challenges as a vehicle to stepping into your greatness.

Step into your greatness.

Offer love in the face of greed.

Offer kindness in the face of selfishness.

Offer compassion in the face of inconsiderateness.

This is not to say that you should tolerate unacceptable behavior, but instead use it as an opportunity to bring out the best that lies within you.

When you respond with an internal feeling of love, compassion and kindness you reaction will be diminished.

When your reaction is diminished there will be greater clarity about how to best respond.

And so step into your greatness now.

Step into your compassion.

Step into your kindness and step into you love.

Do not wait for others to go first.

Do not expect others to be kind, or loving, or compassionate just because you did go first.

Instead seek to be the best you can be and do not worry about how others are behaving.

Again, you must take your own inventory and let others attend to themselves.

Your mission is to be the best that you can be.

Allow others to find their own mission.

Step up now and offer the best that lies with in you.

In the end you will be glad that you did.

(Spending time with family and friends will, of course, give you ample opportunity to practice these principles.)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

~Hayley Mermelstein