Last week, I woke up to a thunderstorm. I live in Wisconsin, so of course, it was snowing while it was thundering. But still, it was a welcome sound reminding us that spring is within reach. I even saw a robin and a few lovebirds on my deck railing.
It's nice to have things to look forward to. Having something we like on the horizon helps us feel optimistic about things to come. It helps to relieve stress, adds a boost of motivation, and helps make the "have to's" more bearable.
Perhaps you already have something you're looking forward to. Maybe your daughter is getting ready to have a baby, you're a few weeks away from getting a new puppy, or you're almost ready to leave for a cruise.
Those are big events. But we don't always need something grand to look forward to.
1. Create small special occasions in your life. For instance, set up a coffee date with your sister, or buy tickets to a local play happening in your area, or plan a card or board game night with your neighbors. Make these concrete; get them on your calendar.
2. Don't just focus on the event; have fun in the planning stages. Maybe you are sending your kid off to college this fall? Plan things this spring and summer that you can enjoy together in anticipation of your "baby's" new adventure ahead. Perhaps you're looking forward to gardening season. You can begin
enjoying that now. Research new flowers to plant. Go to in-person or virtual planting seminars.
3. Use a countdown app. The one I use on my iPhone is simply called
"Countdown (Countdown Widget & Timer," but there are many possibilities in the app store. I love adding countdowns to special occasions and watching the "days until" the event count down, such as 11 days until spring!
4. Create more immediate things to look forward to. Whatever you're planning doesn't have to be weeks or months into the future. You might say to yourself, for instance, when I finish dusting the living room, I'm going to enjoy a cup of tea on the porch. Yes, it's fun to have long-term things to look forward to, but having short-term fun planned can make you look forward to things every single day!
