Savouring – Making a good thing last

11411 savour
11411 savour

savour“The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us.”  Ashley Montagu

I have a tour to Alaska planned later this year. For me this is obviously a great privilege and a highlight of the year.

Recently, I have found myself keenly reading about travel to Alaska and finding out as much as I can about modern Alaska. There also seems to be a plethora of TV programmes about Alaska – “Buying Alaska”, “Alaska Marshals”, “Wild West Alaska” to name a few. I have been beginning to think about what I can possibly expect to see and to experience in this tour, and do some preliminary planning for travelling from New Zealand to Alaska for 3 weeks.

 

Savouring

What I have been doing here is what is referred to as ‘Savouring”, a cornerstone of the science of happiness. Savouring is about the thoughts and behaviours we engage in to ensure that the pleasure we may receive from a particular event or experience is enhanced.  Now I can begin to feel the happiness that may occur when I am travelling, right now in this planning stage.

Savouring may be something we are familiar with for big events in our lives – travel, a family wedding for example. But recent research has shown that it also has benefits in regard to minor, everyday positive events that make up our lives.

Some of the strategies we can use which are likely to make us feel happier and improve our mental wellbeing are:

1. Activate your mind: savouring is a conscious process so look for opportunities to make more of an experience or event, but don’t over think it.

2. Share positive news with other people, especially with those who’ll be happy for you too.

3. Acknowledge your achievements: although this might be something that may be difficult for some of us, or not part of who we are, taking a moment to congratulate ourselves, even silently, greatly improves our wellbeing.

4. Slow down to more mindfully appreciate day to day activities.

 

What we can do now?

Something we can all try is to plan a day (preferably a whole day) to indulge in some of your favourite activities – let’s call it your “Beautiful Day”.

Block out the time in your diary.

It may be things you have tried but not actively pursued, or something you have never had time for, such as listening to your favourite music, visiting a place that is special for you, painting or even something more adventurous like riding rapids in a jet boat or bungy-jumping!

Start by listing all these things, then select 3 or more activities that are possible and can be arranged within the time frame.

When you carry them out be very aware of the pleasure they are bringing you at the time.

After the day reflect on these questions about them:

Were you successful in living that ‘beautiful day”? Why or why not?

What might you now change about your perception of a beautiful day?

Is there any action you can take that will enable you to do this on a regular basis?

 

“It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.” Dale Carnegie