Of course, looking forward to something is only positive when what we are waiting for is something that we deem to be worthwhile or rewarding. No one wants to look forward to a tax audit or painful surgery.
Those who are fearful of the unknown or who dread change may not feel the same way about a forthcoming event as others, and their anxiety can interfere with their ability to anticipate the positive outcomes.
Placing too much importance on or expecting a perfect outcome can definitely interfere with your ability to look forward to a future event. Take, for example, the notion that holidays must be perfect, and everyone must be happy all the time.
When you believe this, you will struggle to anticipate your next family gathering because you have placed too many ambitious standards on the event and are setting yourself up for failure. Putting too much emphasis on a specific outcome can ruin your ability to look forward to something new, exciting, and fun in your life.
Those who struggle with change or the unknown may find that careful planning and preparation for an anticipated event or experience will lower your anxiety and allow you to enjoy your anticipation as well as the experience itself. Finding healthy coping strategies for your worries is vital for enabling you to not only enjoy the outcomes but also to learn to savor the anticipation, as well.
When you are working toward a substantial change in your life, planning can also be a helpful coping strategy that will help you enjoy the build-up. You can plan for ways that you will cope with various outcomes, which will leave you better prepared no matter the result.
The more prepared you feel, the less anxiety you will have, and the more you will be able to simply enjoy looking forward to what comes next.
