How to Have a Device-Free Thanksgiving Dinner

Plus: a Black Friday / Cyber Monday deal that you don't want to miss

Hi everyone,

First things first: this is my first Black Friday/Cyber Monday on Substack, and I’m doing something dramatic to celebrate. From now till midnight on Monday, November 27th,

Paid annual subscribers can sign up for my 30-Day Phone Breakup and 14-Day Find Your Fun courses FOR FREE.

You read that right: if you sign up for a year’s subscription to “How to Feel Alive,” you not only get all the benefits of being a paid subscriber, but you also get a 100% discount on the Find Your Fun and 30-Day Phone Breakup courses — which is a $70 value, which happens to also be the price of a one-year paid subscription . . . do you see what I’m getting at here?

You get all of the things for the price of just one of the things. IT’S A VERY GOOD DEAL.

I’ll include a more detailed description of both courses below, but long story short, they’re text-message based courses (delivered right on your phone) that are designed to walk you through the plans that I outline in my books, How to Break Up With Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life and The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again, so that you can put each book’s plan into action.

Every day, you receive a voice message from me outlining the day’s theme and assignment, plus a series of interactive text message prompts telling you exactly what to do. The goal is to break down each book’s plan into bite-sized, daily assignments, delivered directly to your phone, so that you don’t just read the steps of the plan; you actually put them into practice. I truly believe that if you’re hoping to create better boundaries with your phone and/or if you wish you could have more fun, these courses will help. (And yes, you can gift them.)

As for becoming a paid subscriber? Not only will you be earning karma points by supporting me and my work (writing newsletters takes a long time, and definitely does not pay the bills yet), but you’ll also get access to paid subscriber benefits, including members-only discussion threads, and full access to my January funtervention (more details soon!) and my upcoming series about what to do about kids and phones.

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The fine print:

• You must sign up as a paid subscriber AND use the code by midnight on Monday, Nov 27

• If you’re already a paid subscriber and want to try the courses, just respond to this email and I’ll send you a code

• Yes, you can use the code to gift the courses! Early holiday shopping!

Quick links for more info:

Find Your Fun

30-Day Phone Breakup

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And now!

How to Have a Device-Free Thanksgiving Dinner

Those of you who have been on my list for a while know that every year, I send out resources designed to help you and your family have a device-free Thanksgiving dinner. The idea is simple: You ask your friends and family to put their phones away for the duration of the meal so that you can actually spend time together. But since that can sometimes be easier said than done, here are some ideas and resources that can help.

1. I suggest letting your guests know ahead of time that you’ll be putting phones away during the meal.

   Yes, it might seem like a strange thing to have to bring up, but it will save you some awkward moments at the meal itself. Bonus points if you ask them to come up with a conversation starter to share, or you can just . . .

2. . . . print out this page of conversation starters, cut them up and put them on the table (I like to put one under each person’s plate, or just put them in a bowl that you can pass around).

3. Get a basket or attractive box that can hold everyone’s phones.

4. As everyone sits down at the table, ask that everyone put their phones into the box/basket (and put it in a different room!).

5. Use the conversation prompts to get everybody talking.

6. Eat dinner. Converse. Connect. Ask yourselves why you haven’t done this before — and when you could do it again. (Note: I recommend that devices never be allowed at the table during meals!)

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You can use this image on social media to invite others to join us.

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Do you have a device-free dinner practice already? I’d love to hear about it — please feel free to share your experience (including what happens this year at Thanksgiving) in the comments. And I’d also love to hear any good conversation prompts that you’ve used!

To scrolling less and living more,

Catherine Price

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More info on the courses:

The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life

Is your phone the first thing you check in the morning and the last thing you check before bed? Do you wish you could set better boundaries, but don’t know how?

My course takes a proven approach that’s grounded in science. It will free you from phone obsession and empower you to have a productive — not compulsive — relationship with your phone. Sign up now, and every day you'll receive a voice message from me, delivered via SMS text message, with a daily assignment telling you exactly what to do, plus interactive prompts to keep you on track. It’s easy and you can do it at my pace — or yours.

“Catherine Price is the Marie Kondo of brains.”

—The New York Times

You'll keep what you love about your phone, reduce or eliminate what you don’t, and make customized changes to your settings, apps, environment and mindset that will enable you to take back control of your life–both on and off your phone.

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Stop Languishing and Start Living

Do you ever feel like you’re just going through the motions, not fully engaged, lacking focus, and not completely present in the moments that matter? When's the last time you had fun?

This 14-day interactive course, based on my book The Power of Fun, is designed to help you Find Your Fun, so that you can rediscover what it feels like to actually feel alive. And as an added benefit, you’ll become happier, healthier, more productive and creative, and less stressed, too.

Each day, you'll receive a text message with an audio message from me in which I describe the day's assignment, plus resources and interactive prompts to keep you on track. Sign up now, and in two weeks, you'll be well on your way to a more fun-filled life.