When you’re happy, you can start a happiness virus through your social network, according to a Harvard and UC San Diego study.
So update your Twitter and Facebook status with good things and spread the love!
No conclusive info about when you’re down, although I know that’s as good a people repellant as B.O.
Positive psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi points out in his book of the same title that often when you vacation or watch TV, it feels like you’re relaxing. But in reality those activities might not be as fulfilling as engaging in things that immerse you into the flow state.
With that in mind, hide your cell phone and clock and…
Find more ideas of things to do on SuperViva!
This week we enjoyed “Spare the Air day” in the San Francisco Bay Area, with free transportation until noon. On a rare very warm summer day, this means jam-packed transportation. Which made for a perfect day for my Free Ideas Brainstorm experiment.
My goal: To see if perfect strangers would engage in brainstorms on whatever topic interested them. This would fulfill my love of generating ideas and help whoever took me up on the offer. And of course to promote the joy of a SuperViva life list.
It was scary going alone with a quickly designed sign, wondering if people would think (I mean find out) that I’m crazy. But based on encouragement from good friends - Melea, my life coach Susan, and others - I left the house at 7am, hopped on the BART subway to the bus to the ferry in Oakland.
There the experiment began. It was a blessing in disguise that I’d just missed the ferry, which runs only hourly. That meant a bunch of bored people at my “disposal.”
Mike grew up in the area and was out to take photos on this beautiful day. His main need was to get more business.
What he learned from me: I suggested posting his services on Yelp (the most popular services review site in the Bay Area) and Craigslist, where I’d seen photographers advertise.
What I learned from him: It’s good to be able to pitch yourself. I asked a bunch of questions about the type of photography he does, and he was able to answer them all. The answer was: everything!
Richie is a happy, hardworking fellow who grew up locally and dreams of world travel—despite the fact that he’s never left California.
He avoids frivolous expenses so he can save up for his future travels, especially around Asia. He’s enjoyed a career in janitorial work and is working to become a security guard to earn more.
What he learned from me:
First, I told him what his t-shirt meant: that Orixas are spirits from the Yoruba religion in Brazil. Then I gave all kinds of travel tips to help him embark:
What I learned from him: How inspiring and delightful it is to meet someone who has big ideas about his life and is working toward them step by step. It was really great talking to him.
I’m guessing my exuberant response shocked Andy, after he revealed he’s a trumpeter with a funky “alternative” marching band I love: The Xtra Action Marching Band. This band does private parties and shows and, in fact, played at an old work party I went to!
What he learned from me: He learned about a fun July 11 music fest at the Oakland Museum.
What I learned from him: He’s playing at a voodoo music fest in New Orleans in October, which sounds like a blast (and a perfect life list item). I also learned that many brass instrument companies have gone out of business over the years as they’ve declined in popularity.
Billy started by telling me that he blogs for Amoeba Records. Bells went off when he I heard his name and I reacted as if I’d met a rock star. He was a major DJ in Bay Area commercial and college radio for years.
Turns out he lives in New York now and is very into street performance art experiments, much like mine, and we had a great lively conversation.
What he learned from me: I told him about the Gel Conference for which he might be a good participant.
What I learned from him: He told me about some women who instantly converted part of a moving New York subway car into a living room, along with curtains, lamp, rugs etc. How fun.
John had recently moved to California from Florida and soon will embark on a several month trip abroad. College age and disenchanted with his major, the one thing he knows is he likes traveling.
His one big goal, which made him really smile animatedly, is to own houses in 2 places and live part of the year in each.
What he learned from me: I told him about careers in Ethnography, which companies like Apple rely upon to study their customers’ actual product usage. He vehemently rejected that career path.
What I learned from him: 1) Yes, it might be nice to be able to do some things over again if I knew then what I know now! 2) It’s nice to know what you want. Or don’t want.
Tatiana is head of marketing for Boccalone [vegetarians may not want to go there] whose artisan pork salumi shop had just opened in the San Francisco Ferry Building. This business is one of those kismet stories where just as they were looking for a facility, they found a retiring Portuguese sausage maker who wanted to sell his Oakland factory. There, they cold cure the pork salumi, proscuitto, and other meats using old world techniques. (Oakland and nearby towns are sausage central, with a strong Portuguese heritage, including Gallo salami and Aidells sausage.)
What she learned from me: Her mind was fully on the shop. So: nothing!
What I learned from her: I’m the one who benefited from this brainstorm attempt.
New to the area from Illinois, Pam had already started culinary school when she moved to the bay area to complete her schooling.
What she learned from me: I told her about Tante Marie cooking school, as an alternative to the “big” very expensive ones. And also told her to go to the Saturday farmer’s market at the San Francisco Ferry Building, where she would have culinary sensory overload, in a good way.
What I learned from her: She filled me in that San Francisco has a Cordon Bleu school which I had not realized.
During a short bus ride I learned that “Jane Doe” works in hospitality sales and is hating her 2-3 hour daily commute. She wants to get a job close to home…with very little flexibility. I was surprised that after enduring such a long commute, even changing to a 15 minute commute would be too far for her.
What she learned from me: I suggested she should probably go into telesales if she wants to work within a mile of her home, which is on an island. I think she knew that though.
What I learned from her: When you have your priorities, you have your priorities.
I only had 2 minutes to talk to Krista. For some reason I didn’t want to ask her what she’s doing now with her life, although she wants to have more time for projects—but didn’t have any in mind.
What she learned from me: Of course I told her to get thee to SuperViva for ideas!
What I learned from her: It’s hard to brainstorm in a 2 block stretch.
If you enjoyed this experiment and story, please “Digg” it and/or link to it to spread the word! Thanks 
Add comments and ideas here of other experiments or things you want to brainstorm!
I’m so excited to meet Shelly77, a new SuperViva member, who has a great story to tell about why you should start living TODAY and not wait until after an illness diagnosis:
I had breast cancer that was dignosed a few days before my 29th birthday. The good news is that I’m cancer free and about to turn 31.
In a strange way I’m very thankful for the experience because without it I would probably still be “on the hamster wheel” in a job that I hated, watching life passing me by. If I took anything away from my cancer experience (besides a intense fear of needles, lol!) it is to live in the moment and enjoy each day.
I love the concept of Superviva because before I got sick, there were so many things I assumed I would do “some day”. There was so much traveling that I thought maybe I would be able to do when I retired. Now I realize that instead of sitting around waiting for those things to happen “some
day”, I can make them happen now! Thank you for turning your experience into an inspiration for others
I love Shelly’s “theme for this year” which is: Where do you run when you jump off the hamster wheel?
Making a life list will help direct her!
Here’s me a few years ago celebrating my recovery with a LLS half-marathon—which I highly recommend over doing a full marathon for knee preservation purposes! Better yet, do something different and daring that’s on your life list to raise money. As another cancer survivor friend once said “Screw marathons!”
Have you always wanted to set a world record? If so, add it to your life list!
Better yet, be part of the Mozilla Foundation’s effort to set a Guinness Book world record for the most software downloaded in a day. As a Firefox user since the day it first came out, and friend of many people who create this software, I guarantee* you’ll also enjoy using the best web browser in the world.
My top 3 reasons to use Firefox are:
1) Many interesting and useful add on tools for a better Internet experience
2) A world of Firefox loving developers constantly improve the browser.
3) To date, it’s been the most secure browser for Internet surfing.
Bonus point: It FEELS good. You know when software or a website just makes you happy?
See what’s so great in Firefox 3 and download it starting at 10 am PST today at http://www.spreadfirefox.com/en-US/worldrecord/
*The Wall Street Journal says it’s the best too!
Or get a Google toolbar along with Firefox to easily access Google’s great services.
