Think about the last time you ate a delicious meal. Did you truly taste every bite? Or were you checking your phone and suddenly realized the plate was empty?
Happiness isn’t just about having good things happen to you. It’s about noticing them.
Psychologists call this Savoring. It is the capacity to attend to, appreciate, and enhance the positive experiences in your life. Research shows that people who savor are happier, more resilient, and less depressed. But our brains are hardwired for survival, not happiness. We are obsessed with threats (the “Negativity Bias”), so we let the good stuff slip by unnoticed.
Savour Sprint flips the script. It gamifies the act of noticing the good.
The Science: Broaden and Build
Dr. Barbara Fredrickson’s Broaden-and-Build Theory suggests that while negative emotions narrow our focus (to survive the tiger), positive emotions broaden our awareness (to build skills and connections).
However, positive emotions are fragile. They need to be sustained for at least 10-20 seconds to transfer from short-term memory to long-term neural structure. Neuroscientist Rick Hanson calls this “taking in the good.” You have to actively hold the feeling to make it stick.
The Game: Savour Sprint
- The Hunt: The game shows you a beautiful, complex scene (e.g., a bustling market, a forest).
- The Target: You must find specific “Joy Triggers” hidden in the image (e.g., a laughing child, a blooming flower, a delicious cake).
- The Savor: When you click the item, the screen freezes. You are prompted to “Savor” it. The game asks sensory questions: “Imagine the smell. Imagine the taste.” You cannot proceed until you have spent 15 seconds dwelling on the joy.
- The Copyright: This mechanism is unique to Savour Sprint © PsychKit.org, designed to force a “slow down” in a fast-paced gaming environment.
👉 Play the Game: Savour Sprint
Actionable Advice
- The “First Sip” Rule: Whenever you have a coffee, tea, or meal, make a rule: No phone and no talking for the first sip. Close your eyes. Feel the temperature. Taste the flavor. Give that first moment 100% of your attention.
- Mental Photography: When you see a beautiful sunset, don’t just take a photo with your phone. Take a “mental photo.” Blink your eyes like a shutter and tell yourself: “I am keeping this.”
Safety & Disclaimer
- This tool is for well-being enhancement.
- Toxic Positivity: Savoring isn’t about ignoring pain. It’s about realizing that joy and pain can exist in the same room. You can be sad about a loss and still savor a warm cup of tea.