Savoring Spring

Dr. Allison Bauer

After a long, harsh winter, we’ve finally made it through, and spring has sprung! With the shift in seasons, an opportunity arises to engage in life and intentionally be present in our daily experiences. With brighter days ahead and warmer weather on the horizon, we may feel excited to reconnect with nature, with others, and with ourselves. In a bustling city like New York, it is easy to shift quickly from one thing to the next. Spring is an ideal time to practice savoring because daily experiences feel fresh, sensory, and a little fleeting.

This blog post invites us to pause, noticing and appreciating the good around us during this time of year, rather than hopping around on autopilot.

Savoring is an accessible skill. To savor means to step outside of an experience, reviewing and appreciating it. In other words, savoring includes both being aware of a pleasurable experience as well as appreciating the positive emotions that result from the experience. Savoring requires us to be mindful; it is when we pay attention to the present moment. Rather than being caught up in a wandering trail of thoughts, we are aware of the current situation, including internal and external states. Savoring intensifies and extends pleasant feelings, so the good feelings last longer. Small yet significant moments are highlighted through bringing awareness towards enjoyable moments.

There are many benefits to savoring. Research shows that practicing this skill increases happiness, increases positive emotions, builds resilience, and improves life satisfaction. In addition, savoring has been shown to reduce anxiety, decrease depression, and counterbalance negative emotions during stressful times.

Here are some ways you can practice savoring this spring:

1). Visit a green market to connect with seasonal food

Take the opportunity to visit a local farmer’s market. Walk around, immersing your senses in your surroundings. Take in the sights around you, noticing the new items available at the market. Listen to the sounds around you: perhaps you hear the sounds of birds, wind, distant city noise, other passerby chattering. Pick out a piece of food that is seasonal to spring. This could be strawberries or sugar snap peas, for example. Notice the color and feel the texture of the food you select. Smell the food. Taste the food. Take smaller than usual bites, pausing as you eat, and enjoy the season through taste.

2). Track one thing growing in nature

With nature blooming around you, select something in your environment and track its growth throughout the season. For instance, this may be a tree outside of your window, on your commute, or on your neighborhood walk. Intentionally connect with this tree, noticing the subtle shifts that arise on a daily basis. Perhaps buds appear, flowers bloom, leaves grow, or birds chirp as they sit upon branches. The skill of savoring deepens when you shift your attention to notice change.

3). Start an outdoor photo series

Take daily opportunities to go outside and capture small, easily missed details unique to the season. Rather than rushing the experience, set a timer for 15 minutes, slowing down and allowing yourself to become fully immersed outdoors. What do you connect with? This might include rain droplets on a car window or a single flower pushing through concrete. Maybe it is shadows cast by the sunlight as days get longer. Snap photos of these small spring shifts in nature. Notice how it feels to slow down and tune in to what is around you. Then, later on, revisit the photos you took. This process helps rewire your brain to pay attention to and document moments worth savoring.

Try practicing savoring – enjoy what spring has to offer to the fullest extent! Stop and smell the roses, and feel good about feeling good while doing so.

If you enjoyed this exercise and are interested in learning more about savoring and other positive psychology skills, please reach out to Silver Therapy Group! We would be honored to support you in creating a life that feels more connected, meaningful and enriching.