Anticipation is Anti-Ageing – make it happen, today!

Remember back to what being a kid with an upcoming birthday felt like? From planning the party and inviting guests to fielding half-disguised enquiries from grandparents about what you might like for a present, the entire month in the lead up was a buzz of happy anticipation. Well, as it turns out, pleasurable anticipation is not just fun, it’s good for us – and this includes seniors. In fact, seniors have more reason than just about anyone to include it in their lives! Maintaining a positive interest in future events, and looking forward to them with excitement, actually helps with both mental and physical well-being.

It’s often said ‘growing older isn’t for the faint-hearted,’ and we can all agree. The fact is, along with a lot to look forward to, growing older also has its challenges, and they can come thick and fast. Our senior years are the period when we let go of jobs – and sometimes our identity with them. We so often lose those who are closest to us, as we age, and sometimes we lose the homes we have lived and loved in for most of our adult lives. All this can impact our mental health, and lead to loneliness, isolation and worry.

When we build happy anticipation into our lives, we’re actively fighting against the negatives, and drawing on feelings of excitement and optimism. When we do this, our imagination is strong enough to encourage the release of dopamine, the brain chemical that boosts mood and reduces stress and anxiety.

Happy anticipation can take the place of social connection routines that have been lost with changed circumstances – routines such as heading off to work each day where you could be assured of engagement with colleagues or clients. Or attending a club where gathering with like-minded individuals was both pleasurable and stimulating. Just as our mind was kept busy with conversation, and as we recall it with happy anticipation, our mind chatters to us about the forthcoming event or occasion, and those we will meet there.

Planning something to look forward to gives our brain a workout that promotes healthy cognitive stimulation. Whether we are anticipating a meet-up with friends or a weekend break away with a sibling, it all takes co-ordination and planning. From organising travel and accommodation bookings, packing, and researching, we’re forcing our brains to work hard.

Happy anticipation can even encourage us to get physically fit. There are untold stories of seniors who thought mobility issues would prevent them venturing further than their home, who have then, with the support of their GP, taken possession of a walking frame and got a whole lot fitter – just so they could undertake travel! Some seniors have even adopted a suitable dog and now take it walking each day.

Growing older can be such a confidence-breaker but when we build happy anticipation into our lives, we increase our mental and physical abilities, and with this comes a growing sense of resilience and a regained ‘can-do’ mindset we may have let slip. But the thing is, there’s no point in waiting for happy anticipation to arrive on your doorstep – if it’s not there already, it may not arrive unless you do something about it. So, don’t wait for your adult children to invite you on a holiday; contact a friend and start making your own plans. Buy that gerbera you saw in the garden centre, learn how to care for and look forward to waking up to a new bloom each morning. Invite one of the grandchildren to stay, or make a date for a coffee meetup with a school friend you haven’t seen for years. Book in a video call to your nephew halfway across the world, or call the library and pre-order the latest novel from your favourite author.

Happy anticipation can come from almost anything that gives you pleasure. So make it happen, today!