Anticipation is the Greatest Joy” - Vorfreude ist die schönste Freude - German Aphorism
Joy: A feeling of great happiness and contentment.
Savor: Enjoying something.
Anticipate: Probable; expect or predict.
In many languages there is a single word that expresses the expectation of joy. For example, the German word Vorfreude has no English equivalent. It comes from the root vor (“before”) and freude (“joy”) and means “Joyful Expectation.”
The anticipation of Joy is the gift of experiencing it before actually experiencing it.
Worry is it’s opposite.
Research confirms an individual experiences more intense emotions about Future events than those in the Past, making the anticipation even more enjoyable than the experience. The Present.
Notably, joy is about the experience itself. Savoring joy for as long as possible is a natural byproduct of Projection, Anticipation, Action, and Reflection. The Future and The Past allow one the ability to capitalize on the joy of The Present moments.
Savoring Joy:
Detail Delight
Embrace the delightful details of that which you are joyfully anticipating. Raise your vibration each day through an anticipation excursion. Research to learn even more about the future experience for which you will have.
Daily Anticipation
Seek out something to anticipate daily. Daydreaming is where the magic of pre-living the experience will be found, before living it.
Gratitude
There is a Jesuit maxim that states, “It is not joy that makes us grateful, it is Gratitude That Makes Us Joyful.” Thus, savoring joy allows for mastery in the art of gratitude.
The Present
Anticipating future joy adds jubilation to that which has not yet happened. It is equally important to savor the moment while it is happening. Be aware of what is going right and embrace it fully.
The Past
Reflect(reflection) on the anticipated event once it has passed, remembering and embracing the wonderfulness. This expands the joy of the experience (savoring), simultaneously creating Life Raft Memories for life’s challenging moments.
The Future
Vorfreude or Worry
It is Your Choice
“Yesterday is but today’s memory, and tomorrow is today’s dream.” -Khalil Gibran