WORDS OF EMPOWERMENT - Kathy Bourquin

The Power of Anticipation

Details: Category: WORDS OF EMPOWERMENT; Published on Tuesday, 20 December 2011 20:02

Is it already really the Holiday season, again? I feel as though it has not been a year since I wrote my column for the month of December. I am hearing many people exclaim their disbelief that the holiday season is upon us again. From most, the tone and energy is not one of gladness or excitement. It is a tone of burden at the thought of the things we typically do for the Holidays: shop, decorate, cook, entertain, and travel. I also feel the upcoming crunch to fit in the everyday tasks, responsibilities, and expenses in addition the extra responsibilities of the Holidays.

There is also the aspect of stress that the Holidays can place on our relationships. Around the house the stress challenges us to stay kind and calm while planning for guests, making gift lists, planning budgets, decorating the house and deciding how, where, and when to fit in seeing EACH family member. There are those who are possibly not our favorite. There can be those with whom we have some old emotional junk and the Holidays require spending time with them. For a multitude of reasons, the Holidays can be a time when our buttons get pushed...many of them... and get pushed hard!

Our buttons are our old wounded places and our beliefs in negative things. So we get the "There is not enough money" button pushed. We get the "Not enough time" button pushed. Our "I’m not good enough" buttons get pushed. Our "My family doesn’t understand me" button can be pushed. The “It’s always uncomfortable to be with so and so" button gets pushed. Any past "sad or painful family memories" buttons get pushed. I am sure each of us has additional individualized buttons.

I have described many times in my writings over the last year about the power of our thoughts to create our experiences. I am going to mention it again as we face the Holiday Season. It occurs to me that there is no better time than this to practice creating a different experience. I have also heard myself thinking and saying thoughts of dread and anticipation at being overwhelmed and overly stressed with everything the Holidays hold. So I write this column in self-acknowledgment that these thoughts are certainly in the way of my happiness and contentment. I write because - in Truth - I KNOW that I have the power to change my experience. By being willing and dedicated to applying very sound and proven mental and Spiritual practices to refocus my mind on the Good that is always available to me in every situation; I can have a very different experience. I’m going to do it and I challenge you to join me.

In actuality, whenever we dread or do not look forward to a future event with joy or excitement, we are ANTICIPATING. The act of ANTICIPATING is a very powerful one. Metaphysical Science is based on the power of anticipation and now even traditional Science has proven that what a human being pictures in their mind generates the eventual occurrence of a matching experience. When we anticipate, we predetermine an outcome. Before anything has occurred, we have the scenario laid out in our minds. It is actually only a daydream. No matter how much past experience you may base it on, the Truth is: what you anticipate in the future is not real - for it has not happened. However, when we anticipate or expect something in our mind, our emotions experience it at the time we are thinking it. And once our emotions kick in, we begin to plot our responses and actions. We begin to do things like build our defenses, talk to others about our fears, and decide to include or exclude certain people or things, draw up our conclusions about people and situations. This is the point where we begin to create what we anticipate.

If a person seeking to master a ski-jump continued to anticipate and expect all subsequent jumps to be as rough and painful as the first ones, it is doubtful that they would continue the quest and/or certainly ever accomplish mastery. You have heard - or for yourself followed the practice - of envisioning something ahead of time in order to accomplish it successfully in actuality. In sports such as slalom skiing, high jump, golfing, and more - we can all buy into the technique of seeing yourself cleanly running the course, clearing the bar and making the putt in your mind’s eye ahead of performing the feat. It makes sense to us that if you can see it - you have contributed to the likelihood of your success. And the converse is true. If you would actually envision falling or hitting every flag down the slope, your likelihood for success is greatly diminished. When we envision, we anticipate. When we envision and anticipate a smooth ski, a clean jump, a perfect putt we are actively contributing to creating that exact experience.

The power of anticipation is applicable in our personal life, even our Holiday experience. First become aware of the stressful situations and circumstances you are anticipating. Listen to how you discuss the aspects of the approaching Holiday Season because this provides an indication into what your mind is anticipating. When you find yourself anticipating financial distress due to gift buying - envision instead feeling elated over the great deal or sale you found for the perfect gifts. If you anticipate disharmony between you and those with whom you will share the Holiday - replace that vision (each time it crosses your mind) with an image of sharing a warm hug or laughing together. At the anticipation of the Holiday pushing your buttons in any way - STOP - and replace it with a pleasant daydream of the ideal way you would feel and act in that situation. See yourself easily, happily, successfully, and peacefully maneuvering through that which you have previously anticipated as difficult or problematic.
What we anticipate - we expect.

When we expect - we prepare for what we anticipate to occur. When we prepare - we get results that match the level of our preparation. This is the way Life is designed to work. It is a loving Spiritual Law that we have the Power, the Will, and the Imagination to create our own experiences. We were given these Powers. They are in use at all times. It is just that we do not always use them consciously to create GOOD for ourselves. Create the Holiday YOU most desire through your ability to anticipate the VERY BEST HOLIDAY SEASON EVER!

Happy Holidays to All!

- Kathy Bourquin
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