Anticipation

Does anyone else choose one word for the 🥳 new year instead of making resolutions? I’ve done it for a long time and love choosing a word to guide my year. It centers me and gives 🧐focus when the world gets crazy. A website called My One Word provides information about how to pick a word and offers suggestions. I don’t use that, though. Instead, I think about my life, searching for something that stands out.🤔 I’ve changed my word during the year before–there are no actual rules. Do what works best for you! That’s another reason I love this strategy.

Verbs are good because they give actions to take for the year. However, I’m going with a noun this time. ANTICIPATION. No- I’m not anticipating something specific. This is more general. You see- I’m not great with anticipation. 😬 Chalk that up to my habit of overthinking! It doesn’t matter if I’m expecting something 😍extraordinary or something 😱scary; I feel stress from anticipation. Good and bad- it’s the same for me! I’m anxious, maybe even 🙃frazzled, until whatever happens. Once I’m in the thick of it, I’m fine.👍🏻 I can handle anything- happy or horrible. It’s just the anticipation that gets me.

Well, no more! I’m going to become an anticipation 🏆champion this year! I’m not exactly sure what that will look or feel like.🤷🏻‍♀️ I bet I’ll still feel some level of uncertainty wrapped around anticipation. Completely eliminating it isn’t really my goal. The main thing is to become mindful of my stress levels regarding anticipation. I need to take more deep breaths and ask myself important questions.

➡️How could the situation go wrong?

➡️What happens if it goes right?

➡️Can I change anything?

➡️Would I change anything?’

Are my worries helping? I already know the answer to this one. It’s NO. It’s always NO!❌

Wonderful and terrible things happen in life. They just do. No amount of anticipation can change that for any of us. So, why do I spend so much ⏰ time anxious in anticipation over every stinking thing? Slow it down, sister! It’s all going to work out in the end, you know.✨

Anticipation- maybe I could even learn to love it. 🥰 Who knows!

Cheers to 2023! I anticipate it’s going to be an incredible year!💖