4.3 How to use savouring with your family to enhance wellbeing

Watch this video clip, taken from the popular 1960’s film Sound of Music [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] , as an example of the benefits of savouring in song.

Show description|Hide description

A photgraph of a male pair of legs in denim jeans with trainers on the feet. The person is in a relaxed pose, legs stretched out. The view is over a deserted beach with the sea beyond.

If you feel that you are living life at a fast speed and struggle to find much time to slow down and ‘smell the roses’ with your family, you may find some of these strategies helpful:

• Little steps – try to find spare minutes in your day when you can pause for a minute or two and take some deep breaths. Perhaps you could play a favourite song through headphones on your commute to work or stroke your pet for an extra minute.
• Consider reducing time as a family looking at your mobile phone and using social media.
• Try to get outside more and immerse yourself in nature.
• Find some time to be on your own without having to speak to anyone as often as possible, this can be very restorative.
• Try not to over stretch yourself and feel more comfortable with saying no.
• Before going to bed try to go outside and look up at the stars. Contemplate with awe how most stars are between 1 and 10 billion years old!

Show description|Hide description

A photograph of two young girls with sunglasses on. It is daytime and they appear to be looking up into blue sky, possibly looking at the sun or maybe a lunar eclipse. There are many other people in the background.

Which strategy do you think you would find the easiest to carry out?

Try to commit to carrying this out over the next 24 hours. Reflect on how this made you feel.

Note your thoughts in the text box below.

Show description|Hide description

A diagram with a centre circle saying savouring. Around this are five satellite circles. Each satellite circle has an additional label attached to it. The first circle says marvelling and the label says building a sense of wonder and awe. The next set says luxuriating and experiencing immense pleasure, often using the senses. The next says thanksgiving and feeling gratitude. The next basking and feeling pride and satisfaction over a job well done. The final set says being mindful and feeling aware and present.

Which of the distinct types of savouring shown in the diagram above do you find yourself most attracted to?

Can you think of any specific ways that you can incorporate these different types of savouring into family life?

Note your thoughts in the text box below