A couple of days ago I was making my iced tea for the day (I’ve learned if you keep iced tea for more than a day it doesn’t taste as fresh). For some reason I thought it would be fun to throw my new teabag into the pot of water. So, I tossed my teabag a good five feet into the pot — and gave myself a little victory “yes!”
For those who know me, I love sports, but basketball has never been a sport at which I’ve been good. In fact, way back in high school I wrote the poem, “Basketball is for the tall. If you are small you should try to play a different ball. As basketball is for the tall.” Yep, you can tell I was destined to be a writer.
The point: It can be very positive to savor the little things in life, no matter how silly they might be. Here’s why.
When we savor the little things, we become more aware of the coolness and wonder of the world around us. This can help us to feel more grateful for our lives and to appreciate the simple things that often go unnoticed. It’s pretty much a stop-and-smell-the-roses-type of thing. Or, in my case, stop and watch the Mets. Sometimes, it’s just really helps to stop and breathe in and out slowly for a minute or two.
Taking the time to enjoy the little things can help to reduce stress and anxiety. When we focus on the positive aspects of life, it can help take our minds off the not-so-positive things on which we tend to fixate. After all, we humans have been programmed to be ready to fight or flight — which was helpful when we were hunter gatherers, but now not so much.
Savoring the little things helps us calm down. It can help to boost our mood and make us feel happier. This is because when we focus on positive experiences, our brains release endorphins that have mood-boosting effects.
One savoring thing I’ve been trying to do is to taste the food I’m eating, not to just gulp it down and then go like, “John eat food!” I’m trying to chew my food properly, which slows me down and aids digestion. This also helps cut down on my bad habit of “I see food I must eat food.” This is a stop-and-savor-the-taste-type of thing.
The little things in life are often the ones that we remember most fondly. When we take the time to savor these moments, we create lasting memories that we can cherish for years to come.
Sure, the big things are great — my marriage, the birth of our son, the first time I had a book on the bestselling list, when Olga and I won our first pickleball tournament — but all those big moments also come with pressure. The little moments — playing with the dog, a game of catch or ping-pong with the son, watching Hallmark movies with Olga, sharing my daily Connections score with friends — those are just as fun and pressure free.
Sharing our appreciation of the little things with others can help us to connect with them on a deeper level. This is because it shows that we are paying attention to them and that we care about what they care about.
We humans are like pack animals. We need to connect to each other.
John Zakour lives in Geneva. He is a freelance humor writer with a bachelor’s in computer science from SUNY Potsdam and a master’s in human behavior. He is a chief happiness practitioner. He has sold thousands of gags to strips and magazines and had over 50 books published. He writes his own syndicated comic, “Working Daze,” which has anywhere from 30K-100K daily readers. His “Positive Vibes” column runs every Thursday. Contact him at johnzakour@gmail.com. Or, check out his blog at workingdaze.blogspot.com.
POSITIVE VIBES: Savoring the little things
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07.03.2024
A couple of days ago I was making my iced tea for the day (I’ve learned if you keep iced tea for more than a day it doesn’t taste as fresh). For some reason I thought it would be fun to throw my new teabag into the pot of water. So, I tossed my teabag a good five feet into the pot — and gave myself a little victory “yes!”
For those who know me, I love sports, but basketball has never been a sport at which I’ve been good. In fact, way back in high school I wrote the poem, “Basketball is for the tall. If you are small you should try to play a different ball. As basketball is for the tall.” Yep, you can tell I was destined to be a writer.
The point: It can be very positive to savor the little things in life, no matter how silly they might be. Here’s why.
When we savor the little things, we become more aware of the coolness and wonder of the world around us. This can........
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