Anticipation. Isn’t it interesting that this word not only makes us think of events we are excited for and believe will bring us happiness/pleasure, but also includes those events which bring anxiety. And isn’t this an accurate definition for this word? Most of the the life events we most anticipate are exciting, typically happy, but also cause anxiety, which I do not consider such a great feeling. Can we achieve the anticipation without the anxiety?

As a part of my daily calendar, I strive to write down three events I am excited about and three items I am grateful for. Even though I don’t always take time to complete this section, I enjoy looking back at what I anticipated about my month, week, and even day. As I look at the month of March, one event continues to stand out.

Later this month, I will travel to NYC to present at the National Afterschool Association annual conference. I was selected as one of the intensive leadership session presenters. I am STOKED! But also starting to get anxious as I think about a city I have never traveled to, the large potential audience, and the potential opportunities that await. This leads me to wonder, when does good anticipation turn into dreadful anxiety?

I am doing all I can to be prepared and insure an excellent performance. I am also focusing on the excitement of a new city, lots of potential opportunities, and potentially a large crowd who are taking time for my workshop to assist them in bettering their skills & helping their staff. What do you do to focus on anticipation and stop the anxiety creep?