Like all important messages about life, “looking forward” is vital. But there’s also “being in the moment” to see clearly what is happening and to keep anxiety at bay. And “studying the past” to see what works and to keep from making the same mistakes again.
Nevertheless, it’s been a very long time since looking forward has been as important as it is now. Our challenges with the covid virus have been many, and fearful, and loss filled. And they continue. It’s as if being in the now may be too stressful and longing for what was, too depressing.
What does looking forward look like? Basically it’s a reward in the future, something we desire, wish for, want to experience. It’s anticipation.
Let’s imagine ways anticipation can help:
~~ Anticipating builds hope. Something to look forward to means there will be a tomorrow. The promise of a different time, a different activity, a different challenge.
~~ Getting ready for what hasn’t happened yet can lift the spirit today. When we feel ourselves sinking into sameness, finding something to look forward to can push us up again.
~~ Keeping our eyes forward builds resilience to come back after so many losses.
~~ Creating pleasant visions can build stamina to persevere through hard times when the hits keep coming.
~~ Looking to the future to find something different can combat depression which usually means things will never change.
~~ Banking on a desired event in the future makes today look and feel better.
Finding things to look forward to is harder the more barriers you have. We have limits everywhere we look, but even more so now. We’re advised to not gather as much, to not travel to certain areas, to not go to the grocery store as often. So what has to happen to anticipate something?
Scraping the bottom of the barrel if necessary comes to mind in a not-too-cheery metaphor. Maybe the things we anticipate don’t all have to be joyful. To keep moving forward, we have doctor appointments, home improvements to make, exercise do to, commitments to keep, emails to write. And on we go.
The paradox is looking forward, but not as far, thinking big but thinking smaller more often. We need both short and long-term pleasures to enhance our days. They may look very different now than the ones we’re used to. Here are some possibles:
~~ Buy a calendar and put every little thing on it (going to the store, favorite TV show, phone calls). It’s a reminder of tomorrow.
~~ Make your own limits. If working from home, don’t answer emails on the weekends. Create a “take care of yourself” day where your needs are up front.
~~ Change things. Wear different clothes often, if only a different colored top. Choose work clothes and lounging clothes. Try different food.
~~ Think far future, like a trip, and study everything about where you want to go.
Looking forward isn’t always easy. But seeing how important it is to today, it’s worth the work in this New Year of 2021.