I have a whiteboard in my house, don’t make fun of me. I use it to write notes to myself, share an inspirational quote with my family, or count down to upcoming events! As you can see, my excitement was elevated today as I realized we are only 12 days away from vacation! I literally started counting down to this when it was three months away, so it’s been a long road.

It got me thinking about a new post, so here it is: The Anticipation Factor. Strange as it sounds, the anticipation and waiting for an event to occur, can almost be as awesome as the event itself. Before your event happens, you picture it in your head going exactly as planned. I can already see myself on the beach with my family on a perfect 75 degree day, eating boardwalk pizza, walking into the casino and winning lots of money at the blackjack table.

I can be going through my day and if I feel irritated or down, I’ll look up at that whiteboard and instant happiness comes over me. This anticipation is a great thing, but you have to be careful not to hurry that event along, because it will fly by in a minute (as all great times do) and then you’re back to another countdown that seems light years away.

Having something to look forward to is important, but don’t let it erase the days leading up to it. Sure, vacation is going to be amazing and wonderful and I can’t wait to get there, but I have 12 days to cherish and enjoy before I do. And life is too short to waste even one day, trying to get to the next. Here’s to a great Friday! Make it count.

What are you looking forward to this summer?