What are you looking forward to?

I am looking forward to Christmas tomorrow. I love the festivities around every festival. Every year when Navratri gets over, my spirits are dampened. But there is Diwali to look forward to. That too comes and goes. Christmas is my solace thereafter – my new source of happiness. Although my sources keep changing my happiness remains constant. Christmas is followed by Uttrayan. In a nutshell, there is always something to look forward to.

Looking forward to something gives a high according to the Psychology of Happiness. Anticipation of something and savouring the wait leads to a feeling of positivity. Happiness is something which lies within but must be fed with some external stimuli. So, if you are a sports freak, you can look forward to various tournaments to keep you going. if you are a social butterfly, you can keep planning and organizing different gatherings.

When you organize a wedding, anniversary or a birthday party, the preparations are as enjoyable as the main occasion and the excitement is always more. We are happier in the anticipation than in remembering the actual experience. It is anticipation that generates happiness and ultimately a sense of well-being.

When you learn to appreciate the value of looking forward to things, it can also give a boost to your relationships. Adopting this approach helps you look at the dynamics of your relationships differently. For example, you may have fought with your partner. But when you look forward to making up with him/her, it changes your attitude towards your partner and thus dilutes the bitterness of the dispute. You spend your energy on resolving the differences. The very thought of making up can make you feel wonderful.

Looking forward to something can keep you focussed and thereby helps you to refrain from focussing on anything unsolicited or undesirable. You are away from all the negativity. You can stay motivated and enthusiastic. An envisaged future always makes the present worthwhile. So, what are you looking forward to? It doesn’t have to be only the bigs like your graduation, new job, engagement, wedding, birth of your baby et. al. but also the smaller aspects of life – 2019 cricket world cup, the spring, a coffee meet, a family re-union, a holiday, an excursion, a new book, a newly mastered language… ?

Merry Christmas!! (I am already looking forward to planning the New Year’s Eve).