Being patient is hard.

It's hard to wait; it's frustrating, it's difficult, and it can even make us feel helpless, like we have no power over what happens next. What's the vibe of patience? Waiting in line at the doctor's office, waiting for difficult situations to change, waiting to see the results from your daily habits.

But there's a state very close to patience — one where you are still waiting for something to happen — that has a completely different emotional tone. It's the state of anticipation.

Anticipation is exciting. Something good is going to happen. There's joy just around the corner; it's going to be so wonderful when it finally arrives. You anticipate vacations, special events, and life milestones. As it turns out, research find that anticipation can sometimes be even more enjoyable than the event itself.

Here's something to try out today:

What would it look like if you waited with anticipation instead of patience?

If you were anticipating... you would be certain that good things were coming, so you'd feel excited and hopeful.

If you were anticipating... you would trust that changes were occurring, even if you couldn't see them quite yet.

If you were anticipating... you would enjoy the process of waiting rather than simply rushing to get to the end.

Wouldn't that be more so much enjoyable?