Recently it’s been challenging for many of us to feel happy. And I’ve realized this can happen during any time of struggle or even when everything is going well and you least expect it. So I was on a mission to learn the best way for all of us to boost our moods, feel happier and improve our overall well-being now and into the future.
What I’ve Learned
Over the past few months, I have been taking a Science of Well-being class through Yale University and I’m so excited to share everything that I learned with you. This class measures your happiness at the beginning of the course, and then again at the end, with the belief that you will score happier by the end just based on the knowledge gained.
There has been so much that has changed my life for the better throughout this 10-week class, but one of most impactful takeaways from this learning experience was understanding how to become more present. I know, we talk about living in the moment all of the time, but we don’t always talk enough about how to actually do this. Well here is the how…
SAVORING is the act of stepping out side of a positive experience to review and appreciate it. So it’s not just living through a moment presently, but also intensifying and lengthening the happy emotions felt while staying aware the entire time. The goal of savoring is to improve your overall well-being long after you’ve had the experience.
How To Create This Practice
You can savor anything that you enjoy like a nice hot shower, a delicious meal or even a walk around the block by just taking part in it in a bigger way. And then while doing so, consciously stopping to breathe to take it in, write the experience down or even taking a photo.
I’ve found one of the best ways to savor a moment is to share it with someone either by telling them about it or literally experiencing it with them. Doing this enables you to create an even longer appreciation of a savored moment because you’ll have someone to talk with about it. I’m always looking for ways to create a brighter happier day.
Here’s What You’ll Accomplish
Savoring can boost our mood in 3 ways.
- It helps us to to remember the good stuff in life.
- It helps our minds from wandering and keep us more present.
- It helps increase our gratitude enabling us to be more thankful.
The Takeaway
Here’s the moral of the story; TRY IT! Start right now. Make the decision to stop and savor every experience that you appreciate, that makes you happy or that you are grateful for. Take the moment to stop, breathe, tell someone, take a photo so that you can remember it later on and feel that surge of happiness all over again.
I promise you, with practice, you’ll find yourself feeling happier now and forever.
Be healthy my friends.
