One of the ways in which this pandemic continues to be difficult is that it has taken away much of our ability to plan for the future. We don’t know when we will be able to travel again, gather with our families, or resume normal office activities with our coworkers. This has been difficult for all of us.

However, having something to look forward to boosts our mood, keeps us looking forward, and gives us hope for better days ahead. As we look forward to vaccine distribution and a hopeful future of ending the pandemic, you can look for ways to create things to look forward to now. What will you miss most about how you did the holiday season before the pandemic?

1. Plan an outdoor walking date with a friend or family member. Choose somewhere new, or somewhere particularly beautiful.

2. Plan some special meals to create on weekends, or plan for takeout from your favorite restaurants.

3. Try an “Advent calendar”— this could be something you purchase, with a treat of some kind for each day in December, or it could be something that is more experience-oriented, like this “Outdoor Countdown” calendar that you can start anytime. We’ve adapted a version that you can download, or read more about it here: . Try it with your family, your team, or just yourself!

As we move into the winter months, it is more important than ever that we look ahead to the future with hope.