Ever since my first encounter with the Internet, I have invested much of my free time as a “traveler” online. I would zoom into pictures of alluring beaches and quaint towns of foreign lands, pretending to wander down the crowded streets. I would read reviews of restaurants and scrutinize their menus, figuring out the best orders to make.
To me, these imaginary tours around the world gave me an ambiguous sense of positivity towards my future no matter where I am or what I am doing at the moment. This anticipation allows me to escape from assignments and social pressure and dive into my imagination. The idea of a possibility for my dull life amid the pandemic to alter is noted as “anticipation to change”, and according to the 18th-century English writer Samuel Johnson, it is one of the greatest sources of human happiness.
Anticipatory joy carries with it an important function for us during these difficult times: it acts as a destresser. As we constantly follow news on violence, inequality, and the various struggles in our current society, we often feel overwhelmed by the influx of negativity into our lives. Fortunately, evidence from a study in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology suggests that looking forward to a positive event improves our moods and makes us able to handle more negative situations. The explanation is simple – as our brain only has limited ability in juggling multiple decisions simultaneously, our positive thinking during the process of anticipation takes up more space relative to negative thoughts. Hence, we become generally more optimistic and less susceptible to stress and the influence of unfavorable events. “It helps us recover and adapt to stressors,” says Christian Waugh, co-author of the study and an associate professor of psychology at Wake Forest University.
Waugh continues to state that anticipation bolsters motivation. “It promotes approach thinking, so the feeling that you’re going toward something you want or desire, as opposed to going away from something you fear, which gives a sense of well-being.”
Science supports the notion that anticipation makes us feel better in the current moment while finding faith in the future. Anticipation is wired by the brain to only be for positive experiences in the future. As the human brain desires dopamine, a chemical neurotransmitter that acts as a stimulant that prevents pain, stimulates arousal and causes excitement, anticipating good events is preferable for the brain in sustaining the input of dopamine into its chemical pathways. Scientific experiments are in consensus with this statement as most people anticipate future positive events as opposed to future negative events. Thus, anticipation encourages positivity regardless if you are an optimist or a pessimist.
However, we often struggle to sustain anticipatory thoughts, especially with the uncertainties that Covid-19 brings forth. For instance, while we are excited for a planned voyage to Paris, the flight may be canceled unexpectedly. The moment we learn about the bad news, our hearts are suddenly filled with a nebulous emptiness – that feeling of not knowing what to do anymore. This sense of loss spirals us into frustration and misery, and it seems as if the more we anticipate, the more frequently we face this emotion. Gradually, we are devoured by this loss, unable to find anticipation anymore.
With the special case of our time, truly benefiting from anticipation would take a bit more work. Although it may be difficult to find positivity amid the ongoing chaos in the world, it is still helpful to seek minor events to look forward to, like scheduling a call with a friend or baking a cake for an anniversary. “Anticipating a smattering of small, delightful experiences can be as enjoyable as looking forward to one big event,” says Carrie Wyland, a social psychologist at Tulane University.
Rather than thinking about a vacation in a few months, think about the tiny pleasures of life and record them. Try to keep in mind something to anticipate for each day. Again, keep in mind that our brain could only handle a few thoughts at a time, and the more we focus on these mini-thrills, the less the distressing news we see would take a toll on our minds.
As the thriving Gen-Z struggles to navigate through schoolwork, relationships, and social inequality during a time of upheaval, it is time now to repair our inner selves by building up these moments of joy. Remind yourself of the tiny pleasures of life and record them. As Waugh comments after the completion of his study on the effects of anticipation, because of the pandemic, “You may have to scale it back — microdose it, if you will." The accumulation of these mini-thrills can still allow you to reap the benefits of looking forward to a grander award. So, let’s look at our lives in a different lens: frame everything within “Well, what if it’s an adventure?”. Perhaps you can start by planning for an imaginary trip on the Internet.