My oldest daughter loves to pack for trips.
I asked her what’s so great about it, and she said, “It makes me think about what I need, so I think about being there, and so it’s like I’m already there.”
Not bad, kid.
If we think about packing as visualizing, it can be quite enjoyable. And productive.
Don’t just see a bathing suit, see the pool. As you grab your toothbrush, picture yourself standing in front of a mirror with a different reflection. As you pull out a dress, you’re in a sunny park. A nice belt means dinner in a new restaurant.
Each thing you grab fills in the image a little bit more, brings the future into the present.
You get 2 trips in 1.
And in a way, you’re planning. You’re deciding what you want to do on your trip, the moments you want to collect, a collage for a map, an agenda in a suitcase.
We have more control over the future than we think.
But whatever you do, don’t overpack.
You have to leave room for a few surprises.