Research shows the simple act of savoring—consciously, intentionally focusing on positive emotions—can stop chronic worry in its tracks, stave off depression and increase joy over the long-term. Here’s everything you need to know about the daily habit shown to lead to a lifetime of greater happiness.
What is savoring and how does it increase joy?
We often spin the worry wheel for a surprising reason: to avoid a sudden, unexpected shift in emotions. In other words, excessive worry can feel preferable to feeling something even worse.
“When we’re chronically braced for negative events, like a boxer in high guard, we experience less of a change if bad things do happen,” says Lucas S. LaFreniere, PhD, assistant professor at Skidmore College. This is called contrast avoidance, an aversion to getting “ambushed” emotionally. And it’s perfectly natural, as our brain seeks to use worry as a coping strategy.
Trouble is, contrast avoidance also makes it hard to shift into joy. To outsmart this defense mechanism and help us become more emotionally flexible, LaFreniere suggests savoring, or “consciously attending to positive emotions.”
“This isn’t easy at first,” he says. “Concentrating on positive emotions can make us feel vulnerable.” That’s in part because sitting with joy implicitly acknowledges its fleeting, bittersweet nature. But experiencing all emotions is key to boosting resilience. Indeed, savoring requires taking three simple steps: noticing a positive emotion, amplifying it and prolonging it, says LaFreniere. Keep reading to discover four enjoyable, empowering ways to do just that.
1. Savor the moment by ‘tagging’ happiness
Before you can savor positive emotions, you must first notice them, and a few simple words can help you see more possibilities every day. “Stopping briefly to say to yourself, ‘This moment is good,’ prolongs the feeling,” says LaFreniere, who calls this practice “tagging.”
That makes perfect sense because labeling an experience is like putting a mental sticky note on it, helping your brain hold on to the memory and savor it. Another easy way to tag happiness may require a little mental time travel: Ask yourself what brings you joy, but if nothing comes to mind, think about what you liked as a child, he suggests.
“Engage with these positive feelings by asking yourself where you feel them physically—like in your heart, throat or stomach.” Simply locating emotions and memories in your body helps anchor them in the present moment.
2. Amplify joy with the power of choice
How was your day? Your answer strongly depends on how much choice you had, says LaFreniere. After all, savoring positive emotions requires being in the driver’s seat, at least in part. The proof: A recent study in The Journal of Positive Psychology shows autonomy, which literally comes from the Greek words for “self” and “govern,” is strongly correlated with happiness.
Just making small choices every day—from deciding to go to a new restaurant for lunch to scheduling a task when you want to do it, rather than waiting till you’re told to—will help you find that Goldilocks balance between too little autonomy, which can make you feel sidelined in your own life, and an overabundance of it, which dials up the pressure on you to make decision after decision.
Indeed, while it makes sense that having a measure of control over what you do and when you do it boosts self-esteem, too much of a good thing can be, well, a bad thing. “It’s a double-edged sword because seeking too much control in your daily life actually fuels anxiety,” reveals LaFreniere. Good news, then, that you don’t have to go around wielding a royal scepter to reap the benefits of autonomy: A little choice in your life goes a very long way.
3. Boost brain power by savoring local sightseeing
It’s the most marvelous marvel of the known universe, yet the human “noodle” is surprisingly… lazy. “Our brain is always trying to do as little work as possible, so when everything looks familiar to us, it says, ‘All good! No need to pay attention,’” says Janice Kaplan, author of What Your Body Knows About Happiness: How to Use Your Body to Change Your Mind.
“But when we take in something new, our neurons perk up.” In other words, it’s easier to savor a memory if it sticks out like a postcard. To soak up brain-boosting novelty, just take a new route to work or visit a farmers market and savor the riot of vibrant colors.
“You don’t need to visit an exotic locale—I recently went to a part of the city that I never get to, just a 40-minute subway ride away, and it felt like I was in Paris!” she says with a laugh. That’s because the excitement of novelty is a flashbulb in your mind’s eye, sparking greater joy and making memories easier to savor and look back on when you need a boost.
4. Lift your spirits by savoring soft lines
It’s no secret your environment can either lift or sink your mood. But you may be surprised how easy it is to transform your surroundings into a haven that lets you savor more joy. “We tend to forget happiness isn’t just about what’s in our mind, but also what we see, hear, taste, smell and touch—our body and our sensory experiences are feeding our brain,” says Kaplan.
And sometimes just tweaking where you sit can help you stand taller, figuratively at least. “One study I love shows that sitting in a hard chair makes negotiators negotiate harder, while sitting in a soft chair encourages people to become more open and receptive to new ideas,” she explains, adding, “soft chair, soft heart.”
The good news is there’s no need to summon your Pinterest superpowers and redecorate: Simply pick up a few colorful throw pillows to create a relaxing ambience where you can truly sit back and savor the small moments that make life so rewarding.
This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.