One Tip to Genuinely Gain a Happier Outlook on Life
Would you like to learn about one simple but powerful thing you can do that:
1) Hardly takes any time,
2) Feels really good when you do it, and
3) When done on a consistent basis can ultimately give you a happier outlook on life and result in higher levels of joy, well-being and satisfaction?
To introduce this strategy, let me first lay a little groundwork about the nature and power of neuroplasticity.
Neuroplasticity is the brain's incredible ability to change and adapt throughout our lives. It's like a flexible and malleable superpower that allows our brain to rewire itself and create new connections between its billions of neurons. (Neurons are the fundamental building blocks of the brain and the nervous system that transmit electrical signals and are responsible for information processing and communication within the brain and between the brain and the rest of the body.)
Think of the brain as a vast network of roads, and the neurons as the cars that travel on those roads. Neuroplasticity is the process of constructing new roads and pathways (or modifying existing ones) for the neurons to travel on. Through neuroplasticity, we can reshape the connections in our brain and ultimately break free from negative thinking patterns, reduce our stress, and cultivate more positive emotions and responses.
Our brain’s ability to create these new neural pathways is not limited to a specific age or stage of life. Neuroplasticity can occur throughout our lives, making it possible to learn new things and change behaviors at any age!
The tip I’m about to share leverages the power of neuroplasticity to build new pathways in the brain for enhanced well-being, satisfaction and overall happiness. And this tip is called Savoring Your Positive Experiences.
Savoring Your Positive Experiences: The Concept
Fred Bryant, a renowned psychologist and professor at Loyola University Chicago, is best known for the extensive research he has conducted on the concept of “savoring.”
Savoring refers to the process of mindfully and deliberately
enjoying and appreciating positive experiences, emotions, and moments
– prolonging and enhancing their emotional impact.
Bryant’s work has had a significant influence on understanding how positive emotions can be nurtured and integrated into daily life to improve mental health and overall life satisfaction.
As humans we have a tendency to fixate on negative experiences and gloss over – if not completely ignore – positive experiences. This tendency is a cognitive bias known as the “negativity bias.” It served ancestors from our evolutionary past quite well as they navigated their survival and decision-making processes but may not optimally serve those of us in today’s modern, relatively safe environments.
Bryant's research indicates that savoring positive events can help balance this bias by intentionally giving more attention to positive aspects of life. Other prominent research findings from his work suggest that – by incorporating savoring into daily life – individuals can cultivate a more positive outlook on life, better cope with stress and adversity, create more meaningful connections with others, and find comfort and resilience during challenging situations.
Savoring Your Positive Experiences: The Process
Savoring refers to the act of mindfully and fully enjoying positive experiences, emotions, or sensations. It involves deliberately prolonging and intensifying the positive feelings associated with a particular event or moment, ultimately allowing you to amplify the joy, happiness, or pleasure you experience in each encounter.
So how do you get a “Savoring Practice” started?
You start by making a decision to be on the lookout for good-feeling moments in your day and commit to taking a moment to “milk” those moments when you find them.
Let’s say you want to start just a small “savoring practice.” That could look like: you taking action to savor at least three good things that happen each day. The things you choose to savor can be very small pleasures: how good the air feels on your skin when you take a walk during lunch; a good conversation you have with a friend; the song that comes on over the radio and lifts your spirits; all the great aromas you notice when you walk in a restaurant; a beautiful sunrise; the kind smile you get from a stranger.
And taking the time to savor these good moments does not need to take much time at all. In fact, according to Marci Shimoff, critically acclaimed author of Happy for No Reason, “it takes just 20 seconds for a positive experience to stick long enough to create a new neural pathway in the brain.”
How do you “milk” those good-feeling moments when you find them? You do so by engaging all of your senses, by pausing and consciously appreciating what you are focusing on, by basking in the joy or happiness you are feeling, and by allowing yourself to linger there as long as you can.
In making the decision to begin a small “savoring practice,” and by selecting a few good things each day to savor, and by taking an extra moment to really “milk” those positive experiences, feelings or moments when they occur, you will be creating new brain circuitry for happiness. And upon establishing a “savoring practice” and creating this new brain circuitry, here is what you will notice:
Taking a moment to savor something good feels wonderful! These moments can become a refreshing respite that you look forward to each day.
By just committing to savoring something good three times a day, you will be training your brain to notice and savor more good things in a day. You will soon find yourself more frequently savoring the good things that show up (rather than just three a day).
Pretty soon, your practice of savoring will become automatic. Instead of making yourself consciously stop to savor something, you’ll notice that you have formed a habit of lingering on the good aspects of the good things as they show up in your day, a habit that will serve you very well indeed!
Savoring Your Positive Experiences: A Tool That Will Serve You Well for the Rest of Your Life
In summary, a “savoring practice” is a wonderful tool that uses the power of neuroplasticity to cultivate a more positive outlook on life, enhance well-being, and increase life satisfaction and overall happiness.
Establishing a “savoring practice” is easy, fun and pays big dividends! The following 10 steps can guide you in getting such a practice started:
Set an Intention: Decide that you want to incorporate savoring into your life and make a commitment to practice it regularly. Setting an intention will help you stay focused and motivated.
Be Mindful: Practice mindfulness in your daily life. Pay attention to your experiences, thoughts, and emotions without judgment. Being present and fully engaged in the moment is essential for savoring.
Identify Positive Experiences: Take a moment to recognize positive experiences as they occur. It could be something as simple as enjoying a delicious meal, witnessing a beautiful sunset, or spending quality time with loved ones.
Engage Your Senses: When you encounter positive experiences, use all your senses to fully immerse yourself in the moment. Notice the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and physical sensations associated with the positive event.
Pause and Appreciate: When you experience something positive, take a pause and consciously appreciate it. Acknowledge the positive emotions you are feeling and let yourself fully enjoy the experience.
Relish the Moment: Extend the positive experience by savoring it. Take a few extra moments to bask in the joy or happiness you are feeling. Allow yourself to linger in the positive emotions.
Share with Others: Share your positive experiences with friends, family, or colleagues. Verbalizing and expressing your joy can intensify the positive emotions and create a sense of connection with others.
Keep a Savoring Journal: Consider keeping a savoring journal to record your positive experiences. Write about the events, emotions, and sensations you savor. Reflect on these entries whenever you need a boost of positivity.
Practice Gratitude: Combine savoring with gratitude by expressing gratitude for the positive experiences in your life. Acknowledge the factors and people that contributed to those positive moments.
Be Patient and Kind to Yourself: Savoring is a skill that can be developed over time. Be patient with yourself and avoid self-criticism. Celebrate your progress and efforts in cultivating a savoring practice.