A few years back I was caught in a seemingly endless loop of work, tending to my child’s needs, sleep – repeat. I was dragging myself through the grind without much joy and time for myself. Something had to give, and I was afraid it would be my well-being. My family and I could be better and do better.

We all have things we need to do. Day-to-day life involves work both inside and outside the home. But if that’s all there is without anything to look forward to then life can feel like drudgery without hope. And when the hope and joy and gone, what is there?

I stumbled upon the article, “A key to happiness: having something to look forward to” by Gretchen Rubin. It’s a short one but made a huge impact on me. Think about how good it feels when you have an upcoming event that you’re excited about. The happiness I feel from the anticipation is often just as great as the event itself. Rubin describes this as ‘rosy prospection”. I realized I needed to incorporate something to look forward to into my life. Planning fun experiences every few months to take me out of my everyday life was like a ray of sunshine.

The Psychology Today article, “The Power of Having Something to Look Forward to” by Marty Nemko, Ph.D. provides numerous possibilities to explore. Possibilities include:

• Reach out to a current or old friend. Think of someone you’ve laughed or had great conversations with.
• Neaten your desk or office. Cleaning up can be uplifting—it’s doable without huge effort and you see instant results. If a cleanup project seems overwhelming, start with just one corner of the room or one drawer in your desk.
• Do something crafty, by yourself or with others, for example, the classic sewing circle.
• Start or reinvigorate your exercise routine. Chart your progress with an app such as My Fitness Pal, an exercise partner, watch exercise videos, or take a class.

For me, I started constructing Lego kits (I don’t have many empty surfaces left in my house), enjoying a fancy coffee each morning and planning short getaways every few months. These getaways often involve an outdoor adventure focused on fishing. In fact, today I’m on my way to Lake Diefenbaker for a glorious day of Northern Pike fishing. The trip itself will be a de-stressing experience that I can keep with me for the next several months. Perhaps more importantly, I looked forward to it all winter as I envisioned myself bobbing on that boat in the middle of the smooth, clear water. It helped push through the long, dark and cold working days.

Remember, your something to look forward to doesn’t need to be an exotic trip or lavish experience. It can be a more everyday activity that you have reframed from a chore to an anticipated experience. Just find your things and your rosy prospection.