Savoring

Mindfulness Regulation Strategy

Have you ever had a moment that made you feel so alive, so full of joy or pride, that you wished you could bottle it up and carry it with you? That’s the magic of savoring—an emotion regulation strategy that invites us to fully immerse ourselves in positive experiences. Instead of letting those fleeting feelings pass us by, savoring encourages us to slow down, appreciate, and extend those uplifting moments.

SAVORING

In our fast-paced lives, it’s easy to overlook the simple joys and triumphs we encounter daily. But when we take the time to savor our emotions, we not only enhance our overall well-being but also create lasting memories that fuel our resilience

Best times to use
The Practices
The Science
Types of Savoring
The Benefits

The Science Behind Savoring

To appreciate the power of savoring, it’s essential to understand what happens in our brains during this practice. When we savor a positive experience, our brain’s reward centers—the nucleus accumbens and the ventral tegmental area—light up, releasing feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. This creates a momentary high that enhances our sense of pleasure and motivation.

Savoring also activates the hippocampus, the region involved in memory formation, which explains why these experiences often become vivid, cherished memories. It’s as if our brains are bookmarking joyful moments, creating a personal library of happiness we can revisit anytime.

Psychologically, savoring trains our brains to be more attuned to positive experiences, leading to a feedback loop: the more we savor, the more we notice positive moments, increasing our opportunities to savor further. It’s like tuning into the frequencies of joy and contentment that are always available around us.

Types of Savoring:

1. Anticipatory Savoring: This is all about the thrill of looking forward to something. Whether it’s planning a vacation, feeling butterflies before a first date, or eagerly anticipating a long-awaited reunion, anticipatory savoring lets us extend the pleasure beyond the actual event—giving us a delightful taste of what’s to come.

2. In-the-Moment Savoring: This is the most intuitive way to savor. It means being fully present and immersed in a positive experience as it happens. Whether you’re enjoying a gourmet meal, losing yourself in your favorite song, or soaking in a loved one’s embrace, in-the-moment savoring helps us maximize the joy of the present.

3. Reminiscent Savoring: This involves revisiting past positive experiences. It’s that warm glow when you flip through old photo albums, the fond memories that come up with a familiar scent, or the laughter from sharing a funny story. Reminiscent savoring allows us to tap into those positive emotions, bringing them back into our present.

The Benefits

• Increased Positive Emotions: Regular savoring boosts our daily dose of joy, contentment, and gratitude. These aren’t just fleeting moments; they can accumulate, creating what Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson calls an “upward spiral” of positivity that enhances our well-being.

• Stress Reduction and Resilience: In a world that often feels overwhelming, savoring acts as a powerful antidote to stress. By focusing on positive experiences, we build a buffer against negativity and cultivate resilience—like creating an emotional savings account for tough times.

• Enhanced Relationships: Savoring can be a shared experience. When we enjoy positive moments with others, we strengthen our connections and deepen our relationships, leading to more fulfilling social bonds.

• Improved Life Satisfaction: As we get better at savoring, our overall life satisfaction tends to increase. We become more aware of the good in our lives, more appreciative of what we have, and more skilled at finding joy in everyday moments.

Best times to use Savoring:

• When you want to deepen the enjoyment of positive experiences and fully appreciate the moment

• When you’re looking forward and are excited about an upcoming event

• After achieving a personal or professional milestone to celebrate and extend the feeling of success

• When you're feeling disconnected and want to reignite a sense of gratitude and fulfillment by brining positive moments to the present.

• During moments of joy, to enhance your emotional awareness maximize your joy. and strengthen your resilience for future challenges

The Practices

The long-term benefits of regularly practicing savoring can be significant. Research indicates that those who savor often experience greater happiness, life satisfaction, and optimism. Plus, they’re more resilient when facing stress and adversity, relying on their bank of positive experiences to navigate challenges.

Savoring Breath Exercise

This exercise combines mindful breathing with visualization to deepen your connection to a positive emotion.

1. Choose Your Emotion: Identify a specific positive emotion you want to savor, such as joy, gratitude, or pride. Take a moment to recall a recent experience that evoked this feeling.

2. Find a Comfortable Space: Sit or lie down in a quiet, comfortable space where you won’t be disturbed.

3. Close Your Eyes: Gently close your eyes to help you focus inward.

4. Take a Deep Breath: Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of 4 seconds, feeling your abdomen expand as you fill your lungs with air.

5. Hold the Breath: Hold your breath for a count of 4 seconds. During this time, allow yourself to connect with the positive emotion you’ve chosen. Visualize the moment or experience that brought on that feeling.

6. Exhale Slowly: Exhale gently through your mouth for a count of 6 seconds, releasing the breath slowly. As you exhale, imagine letting go of any tension or distractions. Picture the emotion you want to savor lingering in the air around you.

7. Repeat the Cycle: Complete this cycle for 4-6 breaths. Each time you inhale, visualize bringing in more of the positive emotion. With each exhale, imagine it spreading throughout your body, amplifying the feeling.

8. Savor the Emotion: After your final exhale, take a moment to sit in stillness and fully experience the positive emotion. Notice how it feels in your body and mind. Allow yourself to linger in this feeling for as long as you can.

9. Ground Yourself: When you’re ready, gently open your eyes and take a moment to notice how you feel. Carry the essence of that emotion with you as you continue with your day.

This exercise can help you deepen your connection to positive emotions, making them more vivid and lasting. Enjoy the process of savoring!

The "Five Senses" Exercise

Our senses are the keys to truly savoring life. When we intentionally focus on and explore our sensory experiences, we can deepen our appreciation for the world around us.

1. Identify the Emotion: Start by taking a moment to identify the positive emotion you want to savor. 

2. Find a Quiet Space: Settle into a comfortable and quiet space where you won’t be disturbed for a few minutes.

3. Close Your Eyes: Take a few deep breaths to center yourself and clear your mind.

4. Engage Your Senses: Reflect on the experience that brought on this positive emotion and use your five senses to deepen your experience:

   • Sight: Visualize the scene or moment. What did you see? Picture it clearly in your mind.

   • Sound: Recall any sounds associated with the experience. Were there words spoken, music playing, or nature sounds? Try to hear them again in your mind.

   • Touch: Remember what you felt physically. Were there textures, temperatures, or sensations that stood out? Focus on those feelings.

   • Taste: If applicable, think about any tastes connected to the moment. Did you enjoy a meal, drink, or treat? Allow yourself to “taste” it again in your mind.

   • Smell: Consider any scents that were present. Were there flowers, food, or other aromas that enhanced the experience? Breathe in the memory of those scents.

5. Reflect and Absorb: As you engage each sense, take your time to absorb the feelings associated with the memory. Let those feelings wash over you, extending and deepening your emotional experience.

Set an Intention: Finally, set an intention to carry this feeling with you throughout the day. You can remind yourself to revisit this emotion whenever you need a boost.

"Savoring the Emotion Journal"

1. Choose Your Emotion: Start by selecting a specific positive emotion you want to savor—like happiness, gratitude, or accomplishment.

2. Find a Comfortable Space: Sit in a quiet, comfortable spot where you can focus without distractions.

3. Set a Timer: Decide on a time limit for this exercise, such as 10-15 minutes. This creates a sense of urgency while still allowing you to delve into the emotion.

4. Write it Down: Begin writing in your journal about the specific experience that elicited this emotion. Use the following prompts to guide your writing:

   • What happened? Describe the event in detail.

   • How did you feel? Write down the specific emotions you experienced at that moment.

   • What thoughts were going through your mind? Capture any reflections or realizations you had during the experience.

   • What made it special? Identify what stood out to you—was it a person, an achievement, or a beautiful moment?

5. Expand on the Details: After you’ve captured the basic details, take time to expand on the aspects that made you feel proud or happy. For example, if you felt proud after completing a project, write about the hard work you put in, the challenges you overcame, and the support you received from others.

6. Visualize the Emotion: Once you’ve written about the experience, take a moment to close your eyes and visualize it. Picture the scene in your mind and let the feelings wash over you again. Try to relive the moment as vividly as possible.

7. List Three Takeaways: Finally, write down three key takeaways from this experience. These could be lessons learned, strengths you discovered, or actions you can take in the future to recreate similar feelings.

8. Review Regularly: Keep your Emotion Journal handy and revisit it regularly. Reading about your past positive experiences can help you savor those emotions again and create a positive reference point in your life.

This practice encourages you to engage with your emotions deeply, helping to solidify the positive experiences in your memory and enhance your overall emotional well-being. Enjoy the journey of exploration!

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Footnotes: 1. Research indicates that savoring can enhance emotional well-being and resilience (Bryant, F. B., & Veroff, J. 2007. Savoring: A New Model of Positive Experience.).