The One-Word Mantra You Need to Get Through Thanksgiving, Based on Your Zodiac Sign

We can’t believe it, but Thanksgiving is already right around the corner. Whether you’re celebrating with your extended family, chosen family or just rocking it at home with some Netflix and takeout (lucky), here are some mantras that will help every sign get through dinner. 

Leadership-minded Aries has a hard time letting go of control, especially in a group setting. You hate seeing things being run inefficiently (uh, why didn’t you put the turkey in hours earlier?!), or people sitting around when they could be helping the host (these mini hot dogs won’t make themselves, people!). This Thanksgiving, allow yourself to give up control while you also allow others to enjoy Thanksgiving their way. 

Being that Tauruses are both hard workers and great cooks, chances are you’ve taken on your fair share of responsibilities this holiday—why make regular cranberry sauce when you can make fancy red wine cranberry sauce…on top of the other 16 things you’re serving? While you’re coordinating everything in the kitchen, make sure to also leave a little time to kick your feet up and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Hell, maybe even delegate this year.

Geminis are known for their glorious gift of gab, and with the conversation (and wine, oh all the wine) flowing, sometimes you need a little reminder to sit back and listen rather than speak. Rather than floating from conversation to conversation, make sure to spend a little extra time really catching up with those closest to you. Remember that half the art of conversation is letting the other person speak, too. (Psst: Here’s an easy tip on listening better.) 

Cancers can have a hard time when it comes to the holidays as they tend to get preoccupied with how others are doing and make themselves responsible for other people’s tension—"Oh, I know we’re all sitting down, but I should probably call Cindy, she was so stressed by the turkey!” This year, release yourself from the need to constantly check in with others’ emotions and remind yourself to let go. You can text Cindy tomorrow. 

Leos love sharing when it comes to material items—you’re the first one to share everything from your Hulu password to your favorite wedding guest dress. It’s what makes you such an amazing gift giver. Where they run into trouble is when it comes to sharing the attention of others, especially when it comes to large group functions like Thanksgiving. This year, instead of the corporeal, focus on sharing the spotlight.

Virgos love the energy of large family gatherings, but they tend to have trouble expressing those feelings, even with those closest to them. But don’t you want your loved ones to know how much you appreciate being with them? This year, shed those inhibitions and give yourself the gift of an open heart by taking time to tell your loved ones how you feel about them. We know it sounds scary, but you can do it.

Friendly, social Libra can drive themselves a bit crazy trying to do everything and talk to everyone at Thanksgiving, moving from Great Aunt Shirley’s hip replacement to cousin Phil’s new company logo with grace and charisma. So use this mantra to remember to check in with yourself, even if it means sneaking away from the dinner table for a second for a private moment in the bathroom just to ground yourself.

Let’s face it Scorpio, big gatherings aren’t really your jam. That said, you have a real opportunity to demonstrate to those closest to you how much you love them by simply showing up and sticking it out. When you’re overwhelmed by seemingly prying questions like “How are you?” from your second cousin’s girlfriend, stay focused on the love you feel for those around you remember why you’re celebrating in the first place.

Sagittarius loves to party and thrives at a giant holiday soiree—this is your season after all. But instead of spending your night trying to do everything and see everyone all at once, use this mantra to remind yourself to take it slow and really enjoy the sounds, smells, and of course, tastes, of your surroundings. Maybe turn down the invite from your new work bud to hop over for dessert and just stay put at your mom’s house. Go deep, not wide this season. 

Capricorns love planning and executing a party, but they don’t always enjoy the fruits of their labor. You get so caught up in the technicalities of outputting the perfect dinnerscape that you wind up freaking out over a missing salad fork instead of the fact that your favorite cousin just surprised the whole fam by flying in from her Peace Corps stint. Don’t forget the whole point of having a party in the first place. OK, maybe you need a reminder? It’s connecting with your guests. Keep an eye on how much time you spend working in the kitchen vs. socializing and use this mantra to help you correct any imbalances that may arise. 

Watery Aquarius loves nothing more than being connected to a higher purpose. But lately you haven’t been as down to celebrate a holiday that oh-so inaccurately represents the colonization of this land—"How can everyone else just ignore this fact?!” You may be right, but instead of scolding others, how can you give others a change? Maybe you email everyone ahead of time to bring a coat to donate to families in needs or to write a check to a worthy cause like the Native American Rights Fund.

Empathic Pisces is the water sign that, like any liquid, takes on the shape of the world around them. But melting into everyone else’s worlds can can become seriously overwhelming for a Pisces, especially at group gatherings like Thanksgiving where tensions can run high—Grandma’s threatening to write you all out of her will if you don’t visit her more often and Uncle Jim’s been in the downstairs bathroom waaaaay too long clearly making his uninitiated date anxious. When you feel yourself being crushed under the weight of others’ emotions, repeat this mantra to recover your own space and take on your own shape: triangle.