If you aren’t navigating the zany world of dating with all its funny-in-retrospect tales, odds are when you are catching up with friends, the response to “what’s new?” is “same old” or “just work”. That’s because great tales stem from spontaneity and the unexpected, the new and the intriguing. They come from meeting new people and trying new things and having new adventures. They don’t come from doing the same thing every day. Routine is wonderful to add some method to your madness but what everyone needs is a good dose of fun.
A study of jazz musicians by John Hopkins scientists found when the musicians began to improvise their brains turned off areas linked to self-censorship and inhibition and cranked up the regions tied to self expression. By losing inhibitions, you can test your own limits, break out of the dreaded comfort zone and build your confidence.
Research also shows that acts of kindness – particularly spontaneous, out-of-the ordinary ones—can boost happiness in the person doing the good deed.
Here at HYPOXI, we are on a mission to create good. We are getting outside of our comfort zones because that is where the magic happens and where you learn your own limit.
So without further ado, here is a checklist of tasks for you to help you add a little “je ne sais quoi” to your days. Now planned spontaneity might be an oxymoron, but if we can agree to disagree then we can plan a little spontaneity.
Even if it is not a daily habit, try and inject as much silly goodness as you can into your weeks:
- Ask someone on the street their favourite restaurant, go there. Ask the waiter for their favourite meal, order it.
- Write little anonymous notes of motivation and leave them in books at a bookstore (everyone still knows what they are, right?)
- Give balloons to strangers.
- Find a souvenir and mail it to your friend.
- Create a fake persona with a friend (an accent is compulsory, not speaking English is optional) and bamboozle people.
- Buy a stranger a cup of coffee in exchange for telling you their greatest life lesson they have learnt.
- Find a place that you like, then call someone you miss and describe it.
- Eat a dessert for breakfast (a breakfast crumble would work here), 3 appetizers for lunch and breakfast for dinner.
- Count the number of people who pass you in the street, say hello to one of them.
- Ask someone to draw you a map to a location of their choice (use common sense. don’t walk into a dungeon).
- Make a treasure hunt
- Go to a restaurant and order the 3rd and 12th item on the menu – Enjoy!
