It's been a week full of people in my life. As an introvert, I really love a good day of no meetings to focus on interesting creative work (like writing this newsletter!). At the same time, this week felt rich and lovely with so many good people doing good in the world crossing my path in various ways. I'm ready for some solo work time AND I'm energized by the people in my life. We contain multitudes, don't we? Reminds me of this song I was introduced to in this space a few years ago. Let's get to your Friday Five (which includes some happiness tips per the most popular request from last week's poll!).
Hypertonic saline spray when you're sick: A few weeks ago, you all helped me crowdsource some ideas for what to keep on hand for when you or your people get the cold or flu (a "cold and flu basket", if you will). Around that time, multiple members of my household were sick with a cold, and I happened upon this video of an ER doc talking about saline spray and how it can shorten the duration (and contagiousness) of colds. We tried it and will always keep this stuff on hand in our home. I put that and all of your recs into a blog post.
Get happy with a heart-shaped pizza: If you're celebrating Valentine's Day today, you can likely get a heart-shaped pizza for lunch or dinner today from your fave pizza shop. Or a heart-shaped biscuit (!!) or cookie or doughnut - here's a roundup of places with heart-shaped fun today.
Vital if you're in the US: I know I've had a lot of US-centric content lately, and I appreciate all of you outside of the States hanging in there with us. We're having a bit of a...moment...right now, and things are intense for Americans. First - the SAVE Act is being considered and could prevent married people (and others who have changed their names) from having the right to vote. I encourage you to join me in speaking out against this, and then - if you don't have a passport or yours is expired, get started now on getting a passport to preserve your right to vote in case these attacks against voter rights continue. The passport process isn't quick, and with government offices in chaos and losing staff right now, it's unlikely to get anything other than slower in the short term. Send this to your group texts, too.
If you're a business owner: The Becoming Boss Bundle is full of even more resources to help you grow your online business. But it's only available until next Thursday! It's free.
Get happy by giving $: From Laura Vanderkam's book, All the Money in the World. She writes: "Say you find a few bucks in your coat pocket. You debate whether to spend the money on yourself or give it away. Which do you think would make you happier? For a 2008 paper published in Science, researchers Elizabeth Dunn, Lara Aknin, and Michael Norton ran an experiment to find out. They gave people either $5 or $20, and assigned them to two groups. One group was told to spend the money by 5 P.M. on themselves, and the other had to spend the cash on someone else, either as a gift or by giving it to charity. The results? The size of the windfall turned out not to matter. The people who gave the money away reported a significant boost by giving it to others regardless of the amount. In the context of buying happiness, I can think of little more fun than going through life with the mind-set of always looking for ways to make the world better for $5-$20. And not just via nonprofits. Spending money on other people qualifies as pro-social spending whether there’s a tax deduction involved or not. Here are some quick ways to practice random acts of microphilanthropy: As you spend your charity fun money, keep a list of how you’re doing so. Then read it over whenever you can. Your workday may have been a total disaster. Your teenagers may hate you, and you haven’t made it to the gym in weeks. But it’s hard not to feel rich and happy when staring at two dozen ways the world is better because you’re in it.”
On occasion, leave a ridiculously large tip.
On a regular basis, leave a good one.
Donate new crayons to a kindergarten or Sunday school class.
Pay for a babysitter for a young couple, or offer to babysit for them.
Give great gifts—thinking of how you might delight another person is a great way to feel some delight yourself.
Pay the bus fare for someone whose pass expired.
Take the office intern out to lunch.
Leave a gift card on someone’s doorstep.
Donate $20 to the first charity request you see in your Facebook feed.
Buy an umbrella for someone caught in the rain (as a Pittsburgh group called Here You Go has done).
Pay the toll of the person behind you on the highway.
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