The term savoring was something I didn’t know can be applied to different aspects of my life outside of eating until recently. A couple months ago someone opened my mind to the idea of savoring all moments in my life. Savoring is defined as, to find delight in something. The same way you can find delight in that sweet chocolate cake or ice cold water on a hot summer day, you can also find delight in the bad just as much as you find joy in the good in your life. A while ago, I attended a Imagine 2022 Mindful Monday: Savoring What’s Good workshop. The host Mary Kate Schutt, an Oswego ’17 alumni, reminded us to look at the “bad” events in our life as the best possible thing to happen to us. This taught me to savor the bad moments just as much as the good ones because everything happens for a reason, these bad moments have allowed me to become the woman I am today.
Savoring has allowed me to improve my mental health in a number of ways. Savoring the moment… I’ve learned to savor the silence in my morning meditations, savor those moments where I’m laughing to the point my stomach hurts, or even savoring the joy I feel with family or friends. Why? Those moments won’t always be there. I make the conscious choice everyday to savor good things as a way to balance out the difficulties that I may endeavor in life. It can be challenging to prioritize savoring, especially when facing hardships, but the important thing to remember is to savor mainly in those moments. It helps find a balance and reminds us to not wait for the big moments and to view every moment as a big moment every single day.
Don’t be trapped by the idea that happy moments will just come to you, remember you’re in control of your life and can view all moments from this perspective. Savor now and later and see what positive vibrations will gravitate towards you.