Don’t shop, be happy

REI’s recent announcement prompted me to write this article, Why REI’s Black Friday #OptOutside Matters, a couple weeks ago. And it motivated me to do something different with my own business and my loved ones on Black Friday this year. I hope to inspire you to do the same.

People crave experiences, connections and happiness. We can drink a cup of coffee at home, but we want someone to serve us and we want to connect with people. Starbucks helped us forget that the coffee bean, worth pennies, is actually a commodity. We gladly pay $2 to $5 cup for ambience and a service that elevates the value of the coffee far beyond the original commodity. It’s all about the experience. It’s genius.

With 18 years of experience creating life-changing adventures, I know this to be true: You and your loved ones will remember the experience you share this holiday season many more years than the stuff you’ll buy and forget about. I’d love to help you create this experience.

Three reasons #OptOutside instead of #ShopInside will make you happy

#1: You will be happy before

As humans, we aren’t great about ‘living in the moment.’ Our minds wander. A wandering mind either visits a positive or a negative place. When you can't live in a moment, it's best to live in anticipation of an experience. Waiting for an experience elicits more happiness and excitement than waiting for a material good. (See Buy experiences, not things in The Atlantic – October 2014)

#2: You will be happy during

Experiences contribute to who we are. They are personal and rich with sensations; they engage people emotionally, physically, intellectually and spiritually. An experience derives from a person’s prior state of mind and being, therefore no two people can have the same experience.

“We are the sum total of our experiences," says Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor at Cornell University. Gilovich suggests you'll get more happiness spending money on experiences like going to an art exhibit, learning a new skill, doing outdoor activities or traveling. (See Fast Company article: The Science of why you should spend your money on experiences, not things – March 2015) 

#3: You will be happier longer

Experiences make us happier longer than material things do. We adapt to new ‘things’ and get bored of them easily. You’re far more likely to share the story of your recent vacation, hike or the game you played than you are the new sweater you bought.

Remember the last time you felt really happy. When was it? Where were you? How did you feel? What did it smell, taste or sound like? Do you remember the song that was playing?

The value of that experience lingers inside you. In their book, The Experience Economy, Pine and Gilmore share this example: “Most parents don’t take their kids to Walt Disney World just for the event itself bur rather to make that shared experience part of everyday family conversations for months, and even years, afterward. While the experience itself lacks tangibility, people greatly value the offering because its value lies within them, where it remains long afterward.”

A good coffee, like a good wine, has high notes, is complex and has a long finish. Experiences are the same.

I will not shop, I will be happy

And I invite you to join me! I am living my values by ‘giving’ my friends and family a way to connect, outside, with loved ones on Black Friday. It’s free.

I challenge you to connect, rather than disconnect, with your loved ones

I am making it fun and easy for you to do so. Your phone is already attached to the end of your arm. Here’s an idea: Use it to connect, instead of disconnect, from your loved ones this holiday season.

If you’d like to play on Black Friday, comment below or find me on Facebook or Twitter.