joy snacking
verb

- the act of transforming even routine, everyday experiences, into moments of intense pleasure

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PHRASE ORIGIN

This phrase first appeared in print in a Washington Post article by Richard Sima in November 2022.

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SAVOURING THE MOMENT

To increase the intensity of JOY SNACKING, try a technique called “savouring”. This involves mindfully focusing on the sensations and emotions felt in these moments of pleasure. It may take some practice, but learning to slow down and pay attention also leads to a feeling of gratitude. And gratitude, in turn, leads to more moments of joy—a virtuous circle.

Here are some of mine:

TASTES

- Freshly brewed coffee
- Ripe peaches
- Entrecôte Rotwein 2020
- Very cold fruit juice
- Hot chocolate

SMELLS

- Freshly cut grass
- Rain immediately after a summer shower
- The scent of a rose
- Old Spice aftershave
- Freshly baked bread

SIGHTS

- Rainbows
- A full moon or a shooting star
- The colours of a butterfly wing
- The brushstrokes of a painting
- Reflections in a shiny spoon

SOUNDS

- Birds chirping
- Wind rustling leaves
- A favourite song on the radio
- Chiming clocks
- Laughter

ACTIONS

- Stirring simmering soup
- Folding warm laundry
- Pressing the send button of a positive email
- Turning keys in locks
- Tossing objects into wastepaper baskets

I’d love to hear some of yours!

Paul

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SYNONYMS

- a feeling of great pleasure and happiness, joy

amusement, Arcadia, ardour, a rush, beanfeast, beatitude, beer and skittles, being full of the joys of spring, benediction, bliss, blissfulness, brightness, buzz, carousing, celebration(s), celestial throne, cheer(fulness), cheeriness, chirpiness, cloud nine, conviviality, delectation, delight, divertissement, divine rapture, dreamland, ebullience, ecstasy, Eden, effervescence, effusiveness, elatedness, elation, Elysium, empyrean, enchantment, enjoying (oneself), enjoyment, entertainment, envigoration, esprit, euphoria, exaltation, excitation, excitedness, excitement, exhilaration, exuberance, exultation, felicity, fervour, flush of excitement, frisson, frolicking, fun (and games), gaiety, gambolling, gaiety, gladness, gladsomeness, glee(fulness), glow,  good cheer (feeling, humour, spirits), gusto, halcyon days, head rush, heaven, heavenly joy, heaven of heavens, heaven on earth, heart-lifting, hedonism, hilarity, humour, idyll, inner peace, intoxication, invigoration, jamboree, jocularity, joie de vivre, jollies, jollification, jolliness, jollity, jolly, joy(fulness), joyousness, joys of spring, JOY SNACKING, jubilance, jubilation, levity, love of life, loving life, manna, merriment, merriness, merrymaking, mirth(fulness), nirvana, paradise, pride(and joy), rapture, rejoicing, revel(ling), revelry, rhapsodies, rhapsody, savouring, seventh heaven, Shangri-La, source of pleasure (pride, satisfaction), stars in one’s eyes, state of grace, sunniness, sunshine, sunshine and rainbows, supreme happiness (joy), thrills, top of the world, transports of delight, turn-on, Utopia, warm fuzzies, whoopee, wingding, zap, zeal, zest (for life), zestfulness, zing

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“With the phrase ‘JOY SNACKING’ we can now name those everyday moments where time seems to stop and we enter a state of enchantment. Have you JOYSNACKED today?”

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Paul