“As you walk and eat and travel, be where you are. Otherwise you will miss most of your life.”
Buddha
The road of life is filled with challenges. Its weary travelers focus on the negative aspects of their lives, while its happy travelers savor their positive ones. Knowing how to cope with negative events and appreciate positive ones is essential to living a happy life.
Therapists, psychologists and scientists who study happiness are now exploring techniques that allow us to linger in positive experiences. They call it savoring. Simply put, savoring is the capacity to notice, intensify and appreciate the positive aspects of our lives.
Savoring good times multiplies our joy in two distinct ways by:
- Decreasing the space in our minds devoted to negative thoughts; and by
- Increasing the effects of positive thoughts and feelings which have been shown to improve our sleep, boost our immune systems and increase our creativity.
Practice makes perfect as we prepare ourselves to embrace a savoring mindset. The key is to not miss opportunities. Don’t wait for happiness to arrive on your doorstep; instead, linger and revel in the happiness associated with life’s small treasures such as those found in nature, eating a favorite meal, or watching dogs romp in your neighborhood park. These are things we can do anytime, anywhere with long-lasting benefits.
Related Reading:
- The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want, by Sonja Lyubomirsky
- Ten Breaths to Happiness: Touching Life in Its Fullness, by Glen Schneider
- Savoring: A New Model of Positive Experience, by Fred B. Bryant
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