4 Ways to Learn How to Savor the Moment

For the past several years, I have always tried to make it a point to visit a tulip farm. It’s one of my favorite activities of spring. The flowers are so vibrant, the scenes are so picturesque, and I love having a reason to put on a cute outfit and take some photos with my best girl (and service dog), Wish. Despite having gone every year, though, this year was different.

It was my first time out of my little bubble in over a year.

Okay. So I did sneak out a few times last summer. But, for the majority of the last year and a half, I’ve been home bound. And for the last several months, I’ve literally been at home and isolated from the outside world.

The pandemic has certainly caused a ripple effect of emotional distress in my life. Yes, I have remained healthy. And for that I am grateful. But it came at the expense of sacrificing a huge part of my life: caregivers to assist me with my needs, social interactions with others, experiencing waves of grief and fear, having to hunker down at home in solitude. Being home all this time has even been detrimental to my body— not to mention the stress and anxiety a pandemic brings— for becoming less active has caused my body to weaken.

In other words, as the world acclimates to a post-pandemic life, I, too, am acclimating and trying to find my bearings. Slowly but surely, I am finding new ways to nurture my mind and nourish my body and do it all in a way that isn’t too overwhelming. (Spoiler alert: sometimes it is.) It hasn’t been easy around here lately, but I say this with a full understanding that we all have our crosses to bear, especially during a time such as this.

That’s why the tulip farm hit different this year.

There was nothing flashy or noteworthy about the day. But, for the first time in a long time, I felt at peace. So I sat there, under the sun, letting the wind whip my hair around, and allowed myself to simply savor the moment.

I had seen a tulip farm before, after all. But, to me, this moment was everything. I watched my niece and nephew run around in an open field. I took in the bright hues of pinks and oranges and reds in all my tulip glory. I noted how the sunlight hit my skin. And, I sat with the joy of the simplicity of it all.

Since the pandemic, I’ve really learned the value of remembering to slow down and live for the little moments. In a way, living with a disability and the challenges it brings have taught me this, too. But the past 15 months have really cemented this truth in me. Between recognizing how fragile life truly is and working through my own set of health issues, savoring moments have become my small but mighty source of joy, my reminder of how blessed I am even when my world feels dark. Here are some tips on how you can learn to savor each moment, too.

Be present

Living mostly in isolation for over a year really taught me the value of being present whether it’s alone with my thoughts or with a good friend. Take this blog for example. I’m writing it from my front porch. The sun is beginning to set, and the humidity has finally died down. Every few paragraphs, I stop what I’m doing just to look up and soak it all in. Life feels simple right now but oh-so beautiful. That’s the kind of feeling being present creates.

Practice gratitude every single day

Find gratitude in your heart for that which you already have and not what you lack or desire. This is actually quite easy to do, yet it seems like an impossible task to many. But I’m going to let you in on a little secret: keep it really simple. Your reasons to be grateful don’t always have to be significant (ie. getting a promotion) or Instagram-worthy (buying a house). They just simply have to be little moments throughout your day that you may often overlook. Perhaps it was that delicious cup of coffee you had this morning or that phone call with a loved one earlier. Make a note of what brings you little bits of joy throughout the day. You’ll be surprised at how easy it becomes.

(Want a free gratitude journal? I got you covered!)

Have perspective

A simple shift in mindset has the biggest impact on our well-being. Learning to train your mind to operate from a place of abundance and not scarcity is key to having perspective and, ultimately, remembering to savor the moment.

Stay grounded

Take notes from the tulips. Don’t just grow. Grow deeply rooted into the ground. Let the dirt enrich your life. Soak in the warmth of the sunshine. Learn to stand tall in the eye of the storm. No matter what’s thrown your way, you will learn to bloom right where you are. And that’s a moment worth savoring.