The Practice Of Savoring
I've been using this practice of savoring along with my gratefulness practice over the past few years. It has made the small moments so much more enjoyable. If you haven't heard of savoring before it's something that you should try out. It can really bring a new meaning to all the small moments in your day. I made this 10 second video below showing all the small moments in my day that I savor.
What is savoring?
The practice of savoring involves focusing attention on positive experiences, in order to enhance the enjoyment and appreciation of them. It involves taking the time to fully engage with and appreciate positive experiences. A few examples would be hiking up a mountain, having dinner with your family and eating a delicious meal. By stopping to really think about the moment and telling yourself how much you love it, you are savoring.
How can savoring help you increase your happiness and lower anxiety?
The biggest things I've noticed is my decrease in anxiety and my increase in happiness. By savoring every good thing in my day and being grateful for the positive experiences, I can live "in the moment". Living in these small moments really puts everything into perspective. It makes you stop and think about all the people and things around you that bring you joy. I always found my anxiety came from my mind living in the past or future. But living in the now brings you out of the worries and doubts and reminds you there's plenty to be grateful for.
Here are some ways I practice savoring.
- Mindful Breathing: When you're experiencing something good. Take a minute to just close your eyes and breath. Take in all the smells and sensations around you. Use all your senses to experience this moment.
- Expressing Gratitude: Tell someone or write down how grateful you are to have these moments. This will help you see the positivity all around you, by slowing down you thoughts. Writing has always helped me savor the little moments in a day. There's a few apps out there for journaling about gratefulness. I like to keep it short with the 5 minute journaling apps. It gives you prompts in the morning and night to express your gratitude. As a family we also start every meal with something we're grateful for in the day so far. There's always something to be grateful for.
- Take A Mental Photo: I learned this concept from one of my therapists. You take the moment your savouring and take a mental photo. Close your eyes and remember all the little details in the moment with this picture. This is great for when you need a little moment of peace in your day. You can scroll back in your mind and see this picture. You'll be able to bring yourself back to this place of happiness the more you practice.
- Put Down Your Technology: I'm sure everyone know this one but it's so true. As much as technology can be great in our days. It's also a distraction from these small moments of joy. If we put our tech down and really just let ourselves be in a moment without distraction, happiness will come easier.
- Show Appreciation: Tell the people in your life how much you love them, write a journal entry about your cat, spend time with your friends and family uninterrupted or bake your friend some cookies. There's so many ways you can show appreciation to the things and people around you.
- Get Out In Nature: If you're struggling to find the good in your daily life all it takes is spending a few hours in nature. Go for a walk or hike on a local trail, touch the plants, watch the little animals, lay on the ground or watch the sunset or rise. All these actions will help grounding you.
Remember everyone has different experiences and things that make them happy. With a bit of practice, you'll find these moments get easier to spot. Give this practice of savoring a try and let my know how it goes.
Read about my love story here.
Megan Josol
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