A. A. Milne wrote:
“Well,” said Pooh, “what I like best,” and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were eating it, but he didn’t know what it was called.”
This week is for anyone who has become so focused on what comes next that they’ve forgotten to enjoy knowing it’s coming.
Think about the moment before the concert begins.
The lights go down. The conversations around you stop. The stage is still dark, but you know that, in a few seconds, something is going to happen.
Nothing has happened yet - and somehow, that’s part of what makes the moment so good.
The Germans have a word for this:Vorfreude. It means the joyful anticipation of something pleasurable.
As adults, we often rush past this part. We book the holiday and immediately start worrying about the details. We order something and impatiently track its journey. We arrange dinner with friends, then barely think about it again until the calendar reminder appears.
We’ve become very good at planning things to look forward to, but not always so good at actually looking forward to them.
Your MondayMotivator
Choose one thing you’re looking forward to this week. It doesn’t need to be big - a meal, a walk, a movie, seeing someone you like or even your first coffee in the morning.
Before it happens, stop for ten seconds and enjoy knowing it’s about to happen.
Do this three times during the week.
Your prompt for the week
What am I looking forward to, and am I allowing myself to enjoy looking forward to it?
Next Monday, think back to those three moments and ask yourself how much happiness you would normally have hurried past.
Remember, the best part isn’t getting the honey. It’s knowing you’re about to.