“I've always believed in savoring the moments. In the end, they are the only things we'll have.” ~ Anna Godbersen
What do you think about when you read the word “savoring”? Does some delicious food you love come to mind? Do you think about watching a beautiful sunset or smelling a wonderful scent? Do you have a memory of being on vacation or spending time with those you love?
Life is filled with so many opportunities to savor but how often do we pause and give ourselves permission to enjoy them? For some of us savoring the present moment may be challenging when there are so many things that compete for our attention and encourage us to multi-task rather than bring our full attention to just one thing. We may feel exhausted and overwhelmed by our “to do” lists and prioritize achievement over savoring the precious moments that give our lives meaning.
I have found that a beautiful antidote to overwhelm and exhaustion is the art of savoring! And what is so empowering is that we can learn to cultivate this art and deeply nurture ourselves in the process. Savoring is the practice of bringing our full attention to an experience and allowing our gratitude for that experience to be embodied. We may think of savoring something delicious to eat or drink but in truth we can savor any experience by being fully present and appreciating it.
Savoring is a simple practice but is not easy when so much of our time we are drawn away from the present moment by worry about the future or regrets from the past. We may even find that we can’t fully enjoy an experience because we are already preparing for it to end. Brene Brown calls this joy foreboding. Our anxiety about losing the experience stops us from experiencing the joy that is present.
Regardless of what challenges make it difficult for you to be fully present, focusing on savoring an experience will bring you back to the present moment and infuse it with gratitude. Cultivating the art of savoring will fill your gratitude tank and support you in noticing the abundance of good in your life. And choosing to savor your life experiences may be your most empowering practice in times of transition and change and support you in deepening your self-nurturing practice.
As the wise Tara Brach wrote, “The way to develop the habit of savoring is to pause when something is beautiful and good and catches our attention - the sound of rain, the look of the night sky - the glow in a child's eyes, or when we witness some kindness. Pause... then totally immerse in the experience of savoring it.”
What experience will you immerse yourself in today and savor?
How can you pause more throughout the day and give yourself permission to notice the beauty and magic in your life?
What can you savor in this moment?
May you find joy in cultivating the art of savoring as you nurture peace in the world from the inside out!
Sending you peace, love and gratitude!
Kelley