Vacation Anticipation

​When my dad found out he needed surgery 2 months before his cruise, he figured he would need to cancel his vacation. To his surprise, the doctor gave him some unexpected advice, “don’t cancel”. This is not just sound advice from one doctor or even a friend. There are actually studies that show that anticipation gives us happiness, sometimes even more than the actual event! It’s called the Rosy Prospection. ​

Rosy Prospection: the tendency to anticipate events as more favorable and positive than the time of the experience. 

A vacation is something to look forward to, something to strive for and a reason to get better. It represents a sense of control, when we sometimes feel out of control. Despite limitations, going on vacation means you are choosing to do something for yourself. And, although brief, it is a respite from reality (especially during times when reality may not be all that great).

So go ahead and plan that long awaited vacation in advance so that you have something positive to look forward to! I will even help you get started, here are 4 of my favorite ways to help get excited for your next vacation:

Pinterest - find amazing pictures of any destination - plus lists of things to do, what to pack and where to eat
OneNote/Evernote- save articles from your favorite travel blogs 
Tripcase/TripIt - keep all your reservations organized in one place
Vacation Countdown - no highly anticipated vacation would be complete without an official countdown!

Reality will always be there, vacation is a time to indulge in the fantasy for just a little while. (until the next vacation!)