Chapter 7 – Happiness in the Present
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, students will be able to:
● Differentiate between pleasures (short-term bodily or sensory enjoyments) and
gratifications (deep engagement in meaningful activities).
● Explain the concept of savoring as a way to intensify and extend present-moment
happiness.
● Describe flow and its key features (absorption, balance of challenge and skill,
loss of time awareness).
● Compare the psychological impact of pleasures, gratifications, and flow on long-
term happiness.
● Practice at least one savoring strategy and identify a personal activity that
brings flow.
● Evaluate how focusing on present happiness contributes to overall well-being.
Introduction & Warm-Up
● “When was the last time you felt truly happy in the moment?
What were you doing?”
● Explain Seligman’s idea that happiness comes from past (satisfaction), present
(pleasures & flow), and future (hope/optimism).
● Today’s focus = Happiness in the Present.
Pleasures vs. Gratifications
● Pleasures: Short-lived, bodily/sensory, easy to obtain. Example: eating ice cream,
listening to music.
● Gratifications: Longer-lasting, require effort, engage strengths, tied to meaning.
Example: volunteering, solving puzzles, mastering a skill.
● Key Idea: Pleasures are important, but gratifications build authentic, sustainable
happiness.
Savoring
1. What is Savoring? - The capacity to notice, appreciate, and enhance positive
experiences.
● It’s not just about having pleasures, but about attending to them fully.
Example: Eating your favorite food while watching TV = pleasure.
Eating the same food mindfully, noticing every bite, sharing it with a
friend = savoring.
2. Forms of Savoring
According to Seligman, savoring can occur in three time frames:
● Anticipation – Looking forward to a positive event.
Example: Planning a birthday trip, counting down to a concert.
● In-the-Moment Savoring – Fully engaging while the experience happens.
Example: Paying attention during a sunset instead of scrolling your phone.
● Reminiscence – Reliving the joy afterwards.
Example: Talking about a fun night with friends, looking at graduation photos.
3. Barriers to Savoring
● Rushing through life.
● Multitasking (e.g., eating while on the phone).
● Taking good things for granted.
● Self-criticism (“I don’t deserve this” or “This won’t last”).
4. Why Savoring Matters
● Boosts intensity and duration of positive emotions.
● Strengthens gratitude.
● Counters “hedonic adaptation” (getting used to good things too quickly).
● Makes simple pleasures more meaningful.
Key Takeaway
Savoring is a skill—not just something that happens. By slowing down, paying
attention, and appreciating, we can transform ordinary moments into extraordinary
ones.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, students will be able to:
● Differentiate between pleasures (short-term bodily or sensory enjoyments) and
gratifications (deep engagement in meaningful activities).
● Explain the concept of savoring as a way to intensify and extend present-moment
happiness.
● Describe flow and its key features (absorption, balance of challenge and skill,
loss of time awareness).
● Compare the psychological impact of pleasures, gratifications, and flow on long-
term happiness.
● Practice at least one savoring strategy and identify a personal activity that
brings flow.
● Evaluate how focusing on present happiness contributes to overall well-being.
Introduction & Warm-Up
● “When was the last time you felt truly happy in the moment?
What were you doing?”
● Explain Seligman’s idea that happiness comes from past (satisfaction), present
(pleasures & flow), and future (hope/optimism).
● Today’s focus = Happiness in the Present.
Pleasures vs. Gratifications
● Pleasures: Short-lived, bodily/sensory, easy to obtain. Example: eating ice cream,
listening to music.
● Gratifications: Longer-lasting, require effort, engage strengths, tied to meaning.
Example: volunteering, solving puzzles, mastering a skill.
● Key Idea: Pleasures are important, but gratifications build authentic, sustainable
happiness.
Savoring
1. What is Savoring? - The capacity to notice, appreciate, and enhance positive
experiences.
● It’s not just about having pleasures, but about attending to them fully.
Example: Eating your favorite food while watching TV = pleasure.
Eating the same food mindfully, noticing every bite, sharing it with a
friend = savoring.
2. Forms of Savoring
According to Seligman, savoring can occur in three time frames:
● Anticipation – Looking forward to a positive event.
Example: Planning a birthday trip, counting down to a concert.
● In-the-Moment Savoring – Fully engaging while the experience happens.
Example: Paying attention during a sunset instead of scrolling your phone.
● Reminiscence – Reliving the joy afterwards.
Example: Talking about a fun night with friends, looking at graduation photos.
3. Barriers to Savoring
● Rushing through life.
● Multitasking (e.g., eating while on the phone).
● Taking good things for granted.
● Self-criticism (“I don’t deserve this” or “This won’t last”).
4. Why Savoring Matters
● Boosts intensity and duration of positive emotions.
● Strengthens gratitude.
● Counters “hedonic adaptation” (getting used to good things too quickly).
● Makes simple pleasures more meaningful.
Key Takeaway
Savoring is a skill—not just something that happens. By slowing down, paying
attention, and appreciating, we can transform ordinary moments into extraordinary
ones.
