Savoring Practice #1 Everyday Savoring
Duration: Variable
Frequency: Daily
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Overview: The practice of savoring has been linked to many benefits, including lower rates of depression and anxiety, and higher rates of optimism, joy, happiness, and well-being. However, most of us find that our minds are constantly fixated on stress and worry, and that it’s difficult to be fully present with life’s joys. There’s good reason for this, including our brain’s “negativity bias,” which refers to the fact that negative experiences have a much more powerful impact on us (and linger with us longer) than positive ones. Savoring is one of the best ways to begin overcoming this negativity bias, and the best place to begin savoring is in our everyday activities that we would normally breeze through on autopilot. This practice invites you to savor one activity each day, and approach it in a new way.
Instructions: In our everyday lives, we often jump from one thing to the next without slowing down or stopping to “smell the roses.” Take a moment and reflect on your day-to-day life. Do you notice yourself constantly rushing around, not pausing long enough to appreciate the small stuff? Consider the various activities you engage in each day that, if approached in a different manner, could become sources of greater pleasure. Examples might include:
• Drinking your morning coffee
• Taking a shower
• Cuddling with your dog or cat
• Eating a meal
• Washing the dishes
• Smelling a candle
• Having a moment of connection with a loved one
What sorts of activities do you tend to rush through that might provide an opportunity for savoring?
Next, over the coming week, choose one activity per day to savor in a more robust manner than you usually tend to and record on the form below. When doing so, consider the following guidelines:
• Use your senses—consider the various smells, tastes, sights, and textures associated with the experience, and try getting fully in touch with these sensory experiences.
• Notice your emotions—when having a pleasant experience, try to really get in touch with the positive emotions that are brought out by it.
• Share the experience—another way to fully savor positive experiences is to share them with others.
• Anticipate the experience—if it’s something that you know is going to happen soon, try spending time anticipating it.
• Reflect on it afterwards—instead of just moving on to the next thing, try revisiting the experience even after it’s over and reminiscing about what it felt like.
Use the table to track your savoring experiences over the coming week:
How and why it works: Slowing down to fully experience the good things in life is an indispensable skill for lasting happiness. All too often we move onto the next thing or fixate on the negative, rather than amplifying and drawing out the positive. Through the simple practice of savoring, we become better able to strengthen and intensify positive experiences, which helps to promote meaningful changes to our happiness and well-being.
Notes/Impressions:
