Set Goals and Celebrate Their Accomplishment
Goals are an essential part of anticipation, and they are good for your mental well-being, too. When a goal helps you become healthier or more connected to yourself, it is a double whammy. And goals do not have to be hard to give you something to enjoy.
Instead of setting a goal of losing 20 pounds, why not focus instead on eating more fruits and vegetables for one week? Set a goal of eating a certain number of servings or having salad for a certain number of days, and when you reach your goal, honor your accomplishment.
Every little bit helps. Healthy habits are not adopted overnight, and anything you can do that improves your wellness should be recognized. Setting daily and weekly goals are just as crucial as setting longer-term ones, and these give you something to anticipate each week.
And the more you reach these goals, the more confidence you will have in yourself or achieving your loftier ambitions.
Use Checkpoints
Crossing things off your to-do list and accomplishing a task for each day can feel very satisfying. Once you have reached your checkpoint, you can reward yourself with time off-task or a much-earned bit of frivolity. Checkpoints throughout your day help you stay focused, give you a goal toward which to work, and once you mark them as completed, give you another milestone toward which to look.
When you create your to-do list, be sure to list your reward, the thing you anticipate today or later in the week that makes your daily work worthwhile. Are you looking forward to a bonus in your pay, a night out with friends, or watching your favorite show on tv?
Reminding yourself of your rewards is an important part of setting up goals. And be sure to incorporate checkpoints throughout your day that combine stress relief and fun. If you complete these three tasks, what can you do for 15 minutes to give yourself a mental break? Include these on your list, as well.
Develop Mindfulness
By learning to be more aware of and appreciative of your present, mindfulness can also help you learn to look forward to the everyday events and accomplishments of your life. Learning to appreciate the day-to-day activities means that you will never be at a loss for something to anticipate.
And the more mindful you are of yourself and your happiness, the more in touch you will be with what you need to bolster yourself and improve your wellness.
Mindfulness practices vary but are all used to help you remain focused on the present, push away distracting thoughts and worries, and to pay attention to how your actions and thoughts are affecting your behavior and emotions and vice versa.
Paying attention to the ordinary moments in your life can help you develop an appreciation for simple pleasures and to learn to anticipate everyday occurrences, like the smell of the air after it rains and the way the sunlight passes through your window at a specific time each day. When you learn to be mindful of these small but crucial details, you learn to anticipate them as a part of your daily routine.
Plan a Vacation
One of the most essential reasons that vacations make you feel more positive is because it gives you something to anticipate before they actually happen. When you plan a vacation, you not only get to enjoy the experience but all the thinking and anticipation that occurs before your actual time away.
No matter how much time away you have or how much money you spend, just planning something fun and taking time off is enough to help improve your mental outlook.
If you do not have funds to travel somewhere, plan a fun week or long weekend at home, including doing all the local things you have been “meaning to do” but never have. Planning your events, activities, and meals is the best part of the vacation experience, so it does not really matter where you are going.
Make a Happiness List
If you are looking for things in your daily life that you can look forward to, start by listing all the things that make you happy. Make a list that includes everything you genuinely enjoy each day.
Consider not only the people and events but the sights, smells, emotions, and other sensations that add vibrancy and depth to your day. Happiness is not just about external stimuli, either. Think of all the things you do for yourself each day that bring you joy and create happiness in your world. Include those on your list.
The next time you are looking for something to anticipate, turn to your list. Which of these things can you look forward to about your day today? What is something that makes you happy that can help you stay focused and motivated to get through the next hour or afternoon?
These small moments and sensations are meaningful and important, and they should form the basis of your looking forward ritual.
Explore Solitary Moments
Creating space for yourself and your thoughts each day is an important goal to have, as well. Our lives are busier and more complex than ever, and it can be hard to find time for yourself. Maybe it is time you planned a date with yourself or scheduled some quiet time on your busy agenda.
Just having one hour of quiet time or 30 minutes to relax in a hot bath is a wonderful thing to include in your anticipation routine. Honoring your own needs and providing time for those in your day is critical, and it gives you something to look forward to at the end of a long day or week.
