Episode 79 The Macy’s Day Parade and “What If It’s Wonderful” with Nicole Zasowski

Happy Thanksgiving Eve! 🦃🦃🦃  

Are you hosting?  

Are you roasting a turkey in the oven or deep frying it?  

Do you call it stuffing or dressing?  

Will you use china or paper products?  

Is your weird aunt bringing a gelatin dish?  

Canned or homemade cranberries?  

Are you a pecan or pumpkin pie kind of girl?  

I have so many pressing questions. 😂  

One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving Day (thanks for asking) is the Macy’s Day Parade. Back in the day, I’d watch the parade and pore over all the Black Friday ads in the paper before the day’s festivities began. I’ve never sounded older, right? And another fun fact: I’ve ALWAYS wanted to go to the parade in NYC, but that hasn’t happened yet (and it’s fully discussed on today’s show).

I’m so thrilled to have Nicole Zasowski with us on MESSmerized today. Not only is she a marriage and family therapist, but she also lives in Connecticut and has been to the parade several times. (Somehow, that seemed more relevant than it probably is, and don’t think for a minute that I didn’t grill her about the parade and cover that in depth.)

Nicole and I also dive into the intersection of mental health, identity, and the holiday season. We all know that the holidays have the potential to put us on the struggle bus emotionally, but Nicole reminds us that it’s possible to balance joy with the realities of what’s difficult, experiencing both simultaneously. I love the message and powerful reminder in Nicole’s new book not to not dwell on our fears and anxieties, but instead to ask ourselves, “What if it’s wonderful?”

There’s no promise that your turkey will be wonderful tomorrow or that your husband will help with the dishes instead of watching football—but I do know that we have so much to be thankful for, and I pray you have plenty of time to reflect on that.

All things Cynthia Yanof 

What if it’s Wonderful by Nicole Zasowski