How to Savor a Good Moment in a Busy Week

By Kayleigh Supak, M.A., LPC Associate
Supervised by Kelly Rice, LPC-S & Rachel Yarborough, LPC-S

Imagine a small moment in the middle of an ordinary day: your favorite song comes on in the car. You begin to sing along, then reach for the mental list of everything waiting at home. Or you are sitting with a warm drink, answering messages so quickly that you barely notice the taste.

If either example sounds familiar, consider this question: what would you like to experience more fully while it is happening?

It does not have to be an accomplishment. It might be a sound, a conversation, or the comfortable feeling of being somewhere you enjoy.

What does savoring mean?

In psychology, savoring refers to attending to and appreciating positive experiences and the feelings connected with them. Researchers distinguish enjoying something in the present, looking forward to it, and revisiting a pleasant memory.[1]

For this week, you might choose the present: one real moment that feels pleasant enough to notice. You do not need to decide that the whole day has been good.

Here is an original practice example. You are on the porch and notice that you like the air on your face. You let yourself stay with that sensation for a little while. You might think, “I like being here.” Then you return to the next part of your evening.

There is no required emotion at the end of that example. You are invited to notice your experience honestly.

Choose something you actually enjoy

Start with a question rather than an assignment: “Is there something here I want to take in?”

Possible answers might include:

• The sound of someone you love laughing.
• The colors in a painting you pass every day.
• A comfortable chair and a chapter you want to read.
• The particular flavor of your favorite snack.

These are possibilities, not a checklist. If none fits, choose your own. You do not need to manufacture a meaningful moment for the exercise.

Try completing one sentence: “The detail I want to stay with is _____.” You can say it silently. You can write it down. You can also leave the experience unrecorded and simply enjoy it.

What does the research say?

A randomized trial involving 85 participants with generalized anxiety disorder compared a seven-day smartphone savoring intervention, SkillJoy, with an active self-monitoring comparison. From before to immediately after the intervention, the savoring group showed greater reductions in worry and increases in positive emotion and savoring.[2]

That study tested a structured program. It does not establish that this article's brief prompts will treat anxiety or produce the same results. The distinction matters: an accessible practice idea and a tested treatment protocol are different things.

Keep the exercise honest

If you are upset, you do not have to replace that feeling before noticing something pleasant. You can decide whether this is a useful moment to try the prompt, or whether you need something else first.

You might write: “I liked the music, and I am still worried about tomorrow.” Or simply: “I do not want to do this today.” Neither answer needs to be corrected for the worksheet.

Skip any example that feels uncomfortable or inaccessible. There is no score, streak, or requirement to turn a difficult day into a positive story.

If you try it, ask afterward: “What did I notice?” Avoid grading yourself on whether you felt happier. Your answer may be brief, uncertain, or different from what you expected.

Bring your experience to counseling

If making space for enjoyment feels difficult, that is something you can talk about in a session. You might begin with, “I want to understand what happens when I try to enjoy something.” You do not need a polished explanation.

At Rooted Path Counseling, I offer individual counseling for women, teens, and college students, with in-person appointments in Livingston and online counseling for clients physically located in Texas. Visit rootedpathcounseling.org to learn about my approach and request a consultation.

General education, not individualized treatment. The practice prompts and examples are original educational suggestions; they are not the SkillJoy protocol.

References

• Bryant, F. B. (2021). Current progress and future directions for theory and research on savoring. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 771698. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.771698
• LaFreniere, L. S., & Newman, M. G. (2023). Upregulating positive emotion in generalized anxiety disorder: A randomized controlled trial of the SkillJoy ecological momentary intervention. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 91(6), 381–387. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000794