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Conscious Attention to the Experience of Pleasure
“Be present in all things and thankful for all things.” ~Maya Angelou
Savoring refers to the “capacity to attend to, appreciate, and enhance the positive experiences in one’s life… Noticing and appreciating the positive aspects of life the positive counterpart to coping. Savoring is more than pleasure – it also involves mindfulness and “conscious attention to the experience of pleasure.” (Bryant & Veroff, 2007)
Discover More at One of Our Upcoming Retreats:
Research on Savoring
Happiness scientists have found a significant relationship between positive events and mood. Even momentary positive events are positively related to momentary happy mood. If a momentary positive event is recalled and savored at a later time, there is the same degree of happiness as during the original event. Just remembering and savoring something enjoyable increases our happiness in the moment. Savoring is also cumulative. The more we do it, the more our baseline happiness improves.
Consider the Following Questions:
Do you let yourself enjoy a compliment?
Have you lingered over a delicious meal, or beautiful sunset lately?
Do you let yourself feel pride in your accomplishments?
Do you take pictures to remember great times?
When we savor, we set an intention to fully enter into the experience, recall the memory in its entirety. What were you feeling? What do you see? Hear? Smell? Who was with you? Were there food or scents?
Rest in the recalled experience with a smile and at ease.
Suggestions for Savoring
Engage fully in the experience and be conscious and mindful of every detail you can take in and to appreciate it. Find as many specific details as you can. No detail, observation or feeling is too small to enhance the experience.
Use all of your senses. Go through each sense individually and experience it. Truly experience smell, taste, feel, sight, and sound. Experience each in your own way.
Go beyond your senses. Memories, spirits, souls, energy, and feeling all go beyond the knowledge and awareness of these limited by design tools and into a deeper aspect of ourselves. Songs, smells, tastes, and experiences go well beyond our present awareness and knowledge.
Be present in the moment. You have never been in this moment before, and will never be in it again, so savor it now. Think about any past memories it triggers. Certain smells/sounds/tastes/feels make us think of certain places, experiences, emotions and people. When savoring think about what may come to your mind, explore these ideas deeper.
Share a memorable experience with someone who you believe would enjoy hearing about it.
Write down the experience. This will help stimulate your ability to recall the event and deepen, prolong, and enhance the savoring experience.
Mindfulness. Be intentionally aware of the experience. Be mindful of breathing and self while experiencing and recalling.
Slow down, stop, and Prolong. Rushing through things does not truly allow you to experience all the situation may have to offer. Stop and smell the roses/bread/fresh air/cookies/pine/whatever.
When you eat, chew longer. Intentionally and mindfully, slow down your eating. Savor each bite, noticing flavors, textures, feelings, everything.
Find the technique or the combination that works for you. You can take an element of one and combine it with another in a way that tailors them to your needs. If you would like to join us at Rosewood Retreat Center for a guided approach to wellness, and mindfulness consider registering for one of our upcoming retreats.
Further Reading We Recommend
Niemiec, R. (2016, February). Being Positive: It’s Not Mindfulness, It’s Savoring. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-matters-most/201602/being-positive-it-s-not-mindfulness-it-s-savoring
Scoots, L(2015, April 18). The Art of Positive Savouring. The Positive Psychology People. Retrieved from http://www.thepositivepsychologypeople.com/the-art-of-positive-savouring/
Jose, P., Lim, T, & Bryant, F. (2012)
Does savoring increase happiness? A daily diary study, The Journal of Positive Psychology. 7:3, 176-187. Available from:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241737020_Does_savoring_increase_happiness_A_daily_diary_study [accessed Oct 09 2018]
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