In Part 1 of this series, I introduced savoring and rumination as two sides of the same cognitive-emotional coin. In Part 2 we explored three strategies to reduce the damaging habit of rumination. Now in the third, and final, installment of this blog series I’ll share some ways to practice “conscious savoring”.
While rumination comes naturally to humans, savoring is something most of us have to learn. Savoring involves mentally lingering in the good. Savoring creates the space for us to absorb satisfaction, meaning, pride, and beauty rather than rushing on as we pursue the very next urgent problem or goal.
Savoring is not self-indulgent – it is a particularly powerful way for leaders to foster trust, meaning, and cohesion. How can you develop the practice of savoring in life and in leadership? Here are three proven strategies:
Create Rituals to Savor “Wins”: Build time into team meetings and one-on-ones to name what is going well. Encourage team members to share a story of “a win worth savoring” and reflecting on what made that moment meaningful, how it felt, and what contributed to the win. Consider a Slack channel that encourages team members to share “wins of the week”.
Double Down on Gratitude: Express and encourage others to regularly reflect on what makes them grateful. Keeping a gratitude log of 1 – 5 lines per day trains your mind to notice the big and small things you appreciate. Commit to watching for and sharing with your direct reports the things you appreciate about them.
Use Transitions for Self-Savoring: This tactic is a personal favorite of mine and one I try to practice regularly. Reminiscent savoring happens after an event. For example, at the end of a meeting or a project or a day or a week, pause, reflect on what went well, and linger in that feeling. Anticipatory savoring happens before an event. Before a meeting you might ask: What am I bringing to the table that I value? What energizes me as I imagine what’s possible?
It’s important to point out that savoring is NOT about ignoring or denying the very real problems, failures, and threats out there. It doesn’t ignore pain. Rather, savoring keeps the good visible and in balance alongside the hard stuff.
Savoring can seem simple. But it is neither natural nor easy in a world that focuses on deficit, crisis, and problem-solving. Savoring is a habit we must construct through intention and repetition, not a personality trait. Here are a few principles for making the habit stick:
Make it a Priority. Decide that pausing and reflecting on success, meaning, and beauty is as important as productivity and problem-solving.
Start small and specific. Set a goal to pause a few times a day for 30 seconds to recognize something specific that’s going right.
Anchor the practice to an established routine. Tie savoring to the end of a team meeting, your morning shower, or your commute home.
Make it a “team sport”. Normalize the practice by getting others involved in pausing, reflecting, and celebrating.
Be nice to yourself. Habits take time to form. If you miss a day or two, that’s not failure. It’s just part of learning. Lean into curiosity and away from self-criticism.
I hope you have enjoyed this series on savoring and rumination. What new practices will you incorporate THIS WEEK to help build new skills in this arena?