Episode 24:10 Dr. Jacquelyn Stephens on the Science of Happiness and Savoring in Aging Well

Join us as Jacquelyn Stephens, PhD, the Senior ResearchAssociate at Mather, shares insights on how cultivating positive emotions through “savoring” can boost resilience,social health, and longevity. Discover practical strategies to enhance your well-being and thrive at every stage of life.About Dr. Jacquelyn Stephens is a developmental-health psychologist who conducts research on factors that promote happier and healthier aging. Her research focuses on predictors of well-being across the lifespan, with an emphasis on the protective role of positive emotion in times of stress and adversity. Her research at Mather Institute has focused on how savoring the moment, a form of positive emotion regulation, can contribute to better well-being in older adults. She also evaluates internal Mather programsand initiatives. Prior to Mather, Dr. Stephens was a Postdoctoral ResearchFellow at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. She earned her PhD in Human Development and Social Policy from Northwestern University in 2022.Key Takeaways Positive emotions help us bounce back from stress, overcome adversity, bond with others, and spark creativity. Positive emotions are contagious. Sharing a positiveexperience with another person amplifies the joy and creates a deeper bond,Savoring is noticing something positive happening and amplifying it. Instead of letting something positive pass by, we notice and acknowledge it. Bask in the moment.Savoring has three different time orientations – reminiscing: present moment, and forward thinking/anticipatory . Older adults are good at being attuned to positive things in their environment and tend to be better at savoring in the moment than other generations. When we create a repertoire of positive experiences, we are more likely to reach out to other people and form reciprocal relationships to lift each other up.People feel better when they focus on small moments of joy every day. The goal is not to surround yourself with constant positivity, but to develop the tools and resilience needed to create a life of happiness, well-being, and meaning despite life's inevitable difficulties.Visit Mather Institute for reports on aging and well-being.For exclusive access to the Mather research study onsavoring ,visit: Within- and Between-Person Effects of Savoring Ability and Well-Being in Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study