Remember the last time you really savored something? Maybe it was a velvety glass of Pinot, a hug from your little one, or a quiet sunset where time stood still. You paused. You noticed. You let it land. You didn’t rush to the next activity. You simply… enjoyed.

Now, imagine bringing that same presence and pleasure to your  leadership. Yes, leadership. 

When Savoring Becomes a Leadership Superpower

Savoring in leadership means lingering in the goodness—not to brag or cling, but to genuinely be present and appreciative. It could be taking in a moment of deep team connection after a tough win; feeling the alignment when your values, your vision, and your team click; or appreciating a colleague’s growth that you helped shape.

Compare that to not savoring: plowing through the next item on the to-do list, downplaying successes, or brushing past meaningful moments because, well, there’s always more to do.

This is where mindfulness meets meaning.

Science-Backed Benefits Worth Savoring

The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley reports that savoring boosts happiness, resilience, and connection. In a leadership context, that means better decision-making, stronger relationships, and more presence—not just for others, but for yourself.

Savoring isn’t passive pleasure; it’s active awareness. Leaders who practice savoring tend to radiate calm, make more values-aligned choices, and create ripple effects of positivity. They’re the ones who can handle the heat—and still taste the soup.

Creating a Positive Experience Around an Experience

Essentially, savoring means positively appreciating an experience; in other words, creating an experience of appreciation around something that you already experienced. 

However, if you’re like many people, you have lots of practice doing the opposite, that is, negatively analyzing an experience and diminishing it. For example, replaying a bad meeting. Obsessing over a misstep. Letting one critical comment drown out ninety-nine affirming ones. That, too, is “creating an experience”—but around pain, fear, and self-doubt. It’s called ruminating. 

Savoring is the high-vibration twin of rumination. It’s not about fulfilling every desire—it’s about enjoying the moment, appreciating the unfolding, and soaking in the beauty of what is, not just what’s next.

• What recent leadership moment did you rush past that deserved savoring?

• How often do you create experiences around the negative rather than the positive?

• Where can you slow down to experience more joy, even amidst busyness?

5 Amare Action Steps to Savor Your Leadership Journey

1. Make the conscious choice to savor. Throughout your day, ask yourself: Is there something here that I can appreciate right now? Then appreciate it!

2. Build a pause between moments. After a meeting, a breakthrough, or even a challenge, take 30 seconds to breathe and notice how it feels. That pause is where savoring starts.

3. Share the good out loud. Amplify savoring by articulating what you appreciate—to yourself and others. “That felt meaningful” or “I really enjoyed that exchange” goes a long way.

4. Celebrate without rushing to “what’s next.” Give yourself (and your team) time to acknowledge progress before chasing the next goal. It nourishes motivation far better than burnout ever could.

5. Don’t hyperfocus on the outcome, enjoy the experience. Let go of needing everything to turn out just right. Instead, relish the effort, intention, and whatever experience you manifested. That also  gets the best results!

Savor the Power of Now

Savoring doesn’t happen by accident. It’s a decision to notice, to pause, to allow in the goodness without trying to make anything happen.

If you’re always sprinting toward what’s next, you miss what’s best. Savoring is how leaders stretch time, deepen joy, and stay grounded in love. 

It’s a quiet rebellion against hurry and a bold invitation to presence. You don’t have to earn it—you just have to notice it.

Savor this moment now…

Moshe

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Today’s Amare Wave Wednesday Quote

“Savoring is not just about enjoying the present; it’s about magnifying the meaningful.” 

— Dr. Fred Bryant, author of Savoring: A New Model of Positive Experience

Acknowledgements: Gratitude to Adam DeVito for a lively conversation that stimulated this article. Also to Jim Case and Dottie Oatman for inspiring me to savor special moments, and so naturally savoring their own experiences that it becomes downright contagious!

   

Click here and read more Amare Wave Wednesday newsletters on related topics:

Be a Better Leader: 10 Amare Ways to Get Out of Your Head and Into the Moment

When Time Disappears: 7 Ways Leaders Create Transcendent Peak Experiences

Positive Vibes, Positive Energy, Positive Results: Three Steps to Bring More Positivity into Your Organization

And Then What? The Incredible Power of Getting Off the Achievement Treadmill and Finding Real Fulfillment

The Power of Both: How Efficiency Plus Connection Drives Leadership Success

   

Original article published on Inc.com.