By Liz Pollack, MS, ACPEC
Most of us go through our day, rushing to get everything done and checked off the to-do list; the day is a blur. We turn on the automatic pilot — go through the actions but don’t really fully experience our activities. All too often we charge through our day without taking time to savor and enjoy. To savor means to notice, appreciate, revel. By savoring, we not only enhance positive experiences but also counteract the negative aspects of life. Savoring involves mindfulness and conscious attention to the experience of pleasure. It is about drawing pleasure out. Think of ice cream, chocolate, walking in the woods, or a hot bath. If we slow down, make ourselves aware of all the aspects and let the sweetness of it linger, we are savoring.
Take a moment and try to think of one thing that you savored today or this week. Can you think of something? If not, be sure to incorporate these techniques into your daily life starting tomorrow.
- Share with others: You can seek out others to share the experience and tell others how much you value the moment.
- Memory-building: Take mental photographs or even a souvenir of the event, and reminisce about it later with others or journal it.
- Self-congratulation: Don’t be afraid of pride. Let yourself bask in its glory – in the success or in the achievement of something and remember how long you’ve waited for this to happen.
- Sharpen perceptions: Focus on certain elements and block out others. Don’t let things distract you or steal the joy from your life.
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Absorption: Let yourself get totally immersed and try not to think, just be aware and let your senses take over.
Research on savoring tells us that when it comes to our well-being, small experiences also matter. In fact, they may matter more than some big events because they happen so frequently. Savoring is the key to raising our awareness of life and our level of happiness. In the weeks to come, try this experiment. Choose a simple pleasure that you might enjoy like taking a walk, playing with your kids, or reading a wonderful book. As you experience that pleasure, focus your attention totally on that event. Identify these aspects: 1) the sights, sounds, and physical sensations; and 2) the kinds of feelings you are having.Now, while the experience is fresh, jot down in a journal or diary what you noticed. Try to describe it in such a way that you are almost reliving the sensations, the sights and sounds, as you write it. If you savor and write about one experience each day, you will soon develop the habit of savoring life; not just living or surviving it.
Stay tuned for many other tools and practical suggestions which you can apply in your own life today and tomorrow. Struggling with change? Need some assistance? Everyone does! Contact Liz Pollack, MS, ACPEC, a Certified Life Coach and owner of Leg Up Services. For more information, call 309-370-4492 or visit www.legupservices.com.
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