October Magic – Vorfreude

Hello my dear friend,

Have you ever heard of “Vorfreude”? I had not until I read this article from Dr. Mercola. Vorfreude is a German noun that describes the joyful, intense anticipation that comes from imagining future pleasures. It translates directly to “pre-joy” or “anticipation joy” in English. This is associated with the emotions experienced before positive events, be it a vacation, a day off work, a reunion with a loved one or a delicious meal.

Vorfreude specifically captures a sense of delightful expectation. This enhances happiness and improves wellbeing by activating your brain’s medial prefrontal cortex.

Being in a state of vorfreude helps you bounce back if you do have a disappointment. It helps you become more of an optimist, and optimist’s tend to recover much faster when dealing with unplanned dis-stress.

So how do you bring more vorfreude into your life? You can begin by looking at what you already have to look forward to in your life. The things we do on autopilot, it is just one change in our thoughts to go from habit to enjoying what we are doing.

Here are a few examples that were listed in the article:

Anticipate everyday occurrences such as taking a bath, a walk, or listening to a podcast or music.

Avoid mental pitfalls like catastrophizing or focusing on the negative, rather shift your perspective to appreciate small joys.

Savor moments of anticipation by consciously focusing on appreciating the brief moments just before experiencing something pleasurable.

Treat yourself and allow yourself to anticipate the enjoyment of them. Write down your plans. This will make them feel more real and will increase excitement.

Make a date with a friend or your spouse.

Cherish the beauty of nature!

Unleash your creativity.

Find happiness in the joy of others.

Make time for silence. Mindfulness is joyfulness.

I am excited to hear how you have brought more vorfreude into your life. Have joy in your journey!

Much love, gratitude and joy! Janalee