Planning for a future event such as a vacation and waiting for the day to arrive (actually, counting down the days before it happens) is a great example of anticipation and a very healthy emotion that gives us a purpose.
“I just can’t wait”
If we think back to our childhood, there were many major events that we waited for where the calendar just couldn’t move fast enough for us. Whether it was a family vacation, our birthday, Christmas, a visit from grandma, the last day of school, or whatever the occasion, we were full of anxious anticipation over the date arriving. It couldn’t arrive quick enough to suit us.
It’s this anticipation or active waiting and planning that is such a positive emotion. We may not enjoy the wait, but we so look forward to what will happen when the wait is over and the eventful day arrives.
This anticipation is not limited to childhood. It happens with all of us, regardless of what we are waiting to happen.
The positive aspects of delayed gratification
There are some things in life that we would like to do or have that we can fulfill immediately. We can watch a TV show or a video, have a snack, surf online, go shopping, take a nap, or go for a drive. Those provide various measures of satisfaction and happiness, and we don’t have to wait for them.
However, we may want to take a trip, and we’ll have to wait for the departure date to arrive. We may want to take a class or an online course, and we’ll have to wait until the class is completed before we get credit or full value from it. We may want to bake something special or prepare a special meal to share. There is the planning, the preparation, and the completion before we can enjoy our accomplishment.
It’s nice to get instant gratification – sometimes. However, the wait can mean even more when we finally get to do or enjoy what we needed to wait for it to happen.
A sense of purpose
Waiting for something to arrive – a date, an appointment, an event, a holiday, a trip, something we have ordered, or anything that we want to do or have that is in the future gives us a sense of purpose. We can’t just get it, even though we think we might like to do that. We have to wait for the time to run its course. That makes it all the more valuable when it does arrive.
If we got everything we wanted as soon as we desired it, the element of anticipation would be gone, and so would some of the excitement of looking forward to using or enjoying it.
Most of us did not get to the place in life where we are now by doing and having everything we wanted at the exact time that we thought we should have it. Anticipation and looking forward to a worthwhile event is powerful!