Anticipation

The Webster’s Online Dictionary definition of anticipation reads like this, An·tic·i·pa·tion. Function: noun 1 (a): a prior action that takes into account or forestalls a later action (b): the act of looking forward; especially: pleasurable expectation “The act of looking forward” and looking ahead down the road to things to come. Are you looking forward to a new and healthier you? Are you taking action that will lead to new health, taking Anticipation Avenue that will get you there? I love the 80’s song, Ease on Down the Road. One of the lines in the song is, Come on, ease on down, ease on down the road Don’t you carry nothing that might be a load. Come on, ease on down, ease on down, down the road. What I want to tell you is to not get so uptight and into bondage about your diet and exercise. Ease on down the road to good health. Find joy in your workout. Take it easy. Don’t go at it so hard it becomes a chore. If you ease on down the road, you will come to the point that you look forward to each workout with anticipation. As you ease into it, you can look forward to the following:  

·         You will begin to not use your weight to measure your self-worth. Your self-worth is the sum of everything that makes you special and unique - not just your thigh and waist measurements! Add up your assets, talents, how you treat others, how you treat yourself, contributions you make to your family, friends and community. Now you have self-worth.

·         Begin to count your blessings. You have a lot of things to be thankful for--a home, a loving family, friends you enjoy, a job, or a great day. A mind that counts blessings has no room for self-pity. So you don't wear a size 2? Neither did Eleanor Roosevelt!

·         You will stop playing negative tapes in your mind. Eject them and insert new tapes! You may have to make a conscious effort. When the critical tape starts playing, picture yourself hitting the "stop" button and insert a new positive tape.

·         You will begin to stop using "all or nothing" thinking. No one is a total failure. Most things you do right. Just because you sometimes make a mistake or take a wrong path does not make you a total failure. It makes you human.

·         A new understanding that if you “mess up,” you don’t start from zero. If you mess up, you don’t go back to the beginning; you just ease on down the road from where you are now. Your mess up is just a speed bump, not a detour back to your beginning. As you ease on down your road, anticipate success and don’t dread the process.

Press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called you heavenward in Christ Jesus.

This is an archived article written by Bev Henson