LEARN TO GET A BUZZ OUT OF LIFE

GIVE YOURSELF A HAPPINESS HIT BY MAKING PLANS AND DISCOVERING HOW TO LIVE IN HOPE

- ALEX LLOYD

There's nothing like the buzz of having something to look forward to. Taking pleasure from anticipation is built into us - and key to our mental wellbeing. 

When we imagine our future selves doing something we love, our brains release the happiness hormone dopamine, giving us the motivation to endure difficult days.

It's one of the reasons life in lockdown felt grey and flat - we couldn't enjoy making plans.

There's even scientific proof that we take more pleasure from expectation than reward, as dopamine drops when we get what we want.

"Humans don't like waiting, but positive anticipation is really good for us," says Cheryl Rickman, a positive psychology practitioner. "Aside from the dopamine, the emotions it creates help us cope with stress and boost our problem-solving. There are also neurons in the brain that light up when we imagine future good things. It's known as The Hope Circuit and it reduces feelings of helplessness."

Here's how you can harness the power of anticipation to make you happier...

1 KEEP A THRILL-FILLED DIARY 

Travel agents look forward to "Sunshine Saturday" in January as clients shake off the post-Christmas slump by booking a holiday. But you don't need big treats to feel the benefits - just pencil regular and realistic cheap thrills into your calendar. "This could be a theatre trip, a walk in the sunshine or cooking your favourite meal," says Cheryl. "It gives your days and weeks a positive focus." Seeing a list of thrills, big and small, written down in a diary will help you to enjoy the countdown.

2 TURN ANXIETY ON ITS HEAD