I’ve discovered that I often don’t fully enjoy a pleasant moment because I’m not completely present in it. Mindfulness has many benefits, and one of them is enhancing our ability to appreciate the good times. I’ve come up with a “trick” to be more mindful in these instances and I wanted to share it with you in case you find it useful.
I love to read, and I’ve noticed that when I read about someone enjoying something—like a strong, steaming cup of coffee, a delicious meal, or a glorious sunset—it can seem more vivid to me than when those things happen to me in real life. I believe that that’s because I’m often in my head during those moments, thinking about something else. So I wondered, what if I narrate my experience to myself, as if I’m reading a book in which I’m a character? Doing so might help me inhabit the moment more completely, deepening my sense of pleasure.
Perhaps this sounds weird, or perhaps it makes sense to you. I tried it the other morning and it worked really well. I was sitting in the backyard with my coffee and it was an absolutely gorgeous day. I realized I was thinking about work rather than appreciating a lovely experience, so I started narrating to myself (using lots of juicy adjectives—that seems to help).
I thought, “I’m relaxing here, savoring this delicious hot cup of coffee, listening to the wind in the leaves and all the birds singing, feeling the coolness of the breeze and the warmth of the sun, enjoying the fragrance of my blooming jasmine, looking at the brilliant blue sky and emerald green grass. I feel calm, peaceful, and happy. I don’t have any responsibilities right now. I can just take my time and soak in this beauty.” And it made a difference! Narrating helped me pay attention. I guess it was a way of corralling my thoughts and using them to enhance my experience, rather than letting them distract me.
Now the key will be remembering to do this! I think it will be especially effective for simple pleasures, because those are the times I tend to take for granted and sort of tune out during. But I bet it will help maximize my appreciation of joyful moments as well. What do you think? If you try narrating for yourself, let me know how it goes!
