Today, I took a giant leap of faith and booked flights for Thanksgiving. Like most of you, going to the grocery store has been my big “travel opportunity” lately. So, booking airfare ten months from now was a big step. Almost immediately, I felt a little better and began to imagine what it would be like to travel without fear and anxiety. Reflecting on how my plans boosted my mood, I wondered if there was research on this topic. Here’s what I found…

We all need something to look forward to, especially now that we can expect weeks and perhaps months of social distancing ahead. A healthy sense of “anticipation” can often help energize our lives and help us get through tough times. However, our environment has changed so much that even looking forward to the weekend has lost some of its sparkle. So, what can we do to get the sparkle that comes from the anticipation of a reward?