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In this season of gratitude and giving thanks, I am so grateful for our guest, Melissa Martinez Barroso, and the experiences and the story she shares with us about what she knows to be true about savoring the best things in life.
In this episode, Melissa answers the following questions:
- What is savoring?
- How do you savor the best things in life?
- What is an example of savoring?
- How can savoring help with depression and anxiety?
A few years ago, Melissa had moved from her hometown of Mexico City to New York City, and when she shared her stories of weekend adventures, those stories had a special spark.
Melissa’s stories were amplified by finding joy in the present. And my presumption had been she was doing this primarily in the pursuit of joy and positive experiences alone.
And yet, recently, Melissa shared with me that her practice of savoring did not start out that way. It was not to find joy and mindfulness at the beginning, but it was a conscious choice for survival and healing.
Favorite quote from the episode: “You do not need to do anything to deserve the best things in life.”
What I know to be true about the episode: From the moment that Melissa shared her story with me, it became clear to me how many of our superhero powers are first developed and used to address some need we have, and after conquering or managing that challenge, we feel compelled to develop and share it with others.
What I learned from the episode: Last summer I heard Fred Bryant on the Hidden Brain podcast talk about the power of savoring, and that since our brain is wired to search for fear, we need to proactive hunt for joy. Well, Melissa is a role model joy hunter.
Melissa and I experienced several technical challenges with this episode, and you’ll see one in the middle. To celebrate the release, we both need to head to karaoke nearest to Grand Central Station and sing some Tay Tay.
In this episode, Melissa shares what savoring means to her, and how it is now a way of life.
Resources for mental health concerns
If you or someone that is having a mental health crisis, please call or text 988 immediately, or you can go to their website and chat with a counselor: https://988lifeline.org/
ANAD is committed to providing free, peer support services to anyone struggling with an eating disorder. You can access the ANAS helpline at 1-888-375-7767, and get more information on their website at: https://anad.org/get-help/eating-disorders-helpline/
Resources for savoring:
Book: “Savoring: A New Model for Positive Experience” by Fred Bryant and Joseph Veroff https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2220603.Savoring
Book: “4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals” by Olver Burkeman https://www.oliverburkeman.com/books
Podcast: Hidden Brain two-part episode with Fred Bryant
Part 1 https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/you-2-0-slow-down/
Part 2: https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/you-2-0-make-the-good-times-last/
Article: “10 Steps to Savoring the Good Things in Life” from Greater Good Magazine
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/10_steps_to_savoring_the_good_things_in_life
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Music in this episode created by Ian Kastner.
“What Do You Know To Be True?” is hosted by Roger Kastner and is a production of Three Blue Pens.
“What Do You Know To Be True?” is recorded on the ancestral lands of the Duwamish and Suquamish people. To discover the ancestral lands of the indigenous people whose land you may be on, go to: https://native-land.ca/