I love the planning that goes into getting people together to celebrate a special occasion. Over the years, friends, family members, and I have hosted countless celebrations and parties for all kinds of reasons. Typically my party efforts include the following:
- Initial planning and excitement
- The busy work of getting everything ready
- Party angst
- Welcoming guests
- The party
- The clean-up
All but step 3 are positive party steps that bring joy and result in a good party, but #3, the party angst, is something I need to get rid of as that gets in the way of a good party.
Why the angst?
First, by nature I'm a worrier--I entertain all kinds of scenarios and too often give myself permission to worry.
Next, I have high expectations--some may say too high, so if things don't go as planned, I fret--that's got to change as typically no party goes as planned.
Third, I'm not disciplined enough to simply expect the angst, entertain it for a bit to gain any real worth in all that worry, and then dispose of it quickly rather than share it with the world which can dampen the spirit prior to a party.
I know that I'm not the only one who experiences party angst. From years of teaching, I came to understand that some people are anticipators and some are not. Anticipators tend to imagine the scenario of any event prior to the event and also often worry about what might happen, while people who don't anticipate simply move from step to step without a lot of worry. In my extended family, it's easy to see who are the anticipators and who are not.
So as I move on in life, I hope to plan and carry out many more parties and celebrations. I think that it's important to get together in joyful ways for meaningful purposes. Most would agree with me. However, as I move ahead, I do want to get that party angst in greater check--one more goal as I navigate life's landscape.