On a Living Spree

Take Time to Play Today

Fourteen years ago, I went with four of my friends to get our photo taken with Santa at the Burbank mall. Were we far too old to be doing this? Absolutely. Did we care that we were the only group in line that did not include young children? Nope. Is Santa kinda creepy with five grown women sitting on his lap? Definitely… which makes it even more hilarious. What was meant to be a one-time joke turned out to be so fun that it became an annual tradition, complete with themes and costumes. Even as our own families and lives grow and change, it’s a once-a-year event where we can feel like kids again with each other.

Over time, the things you used to play at become serious endeavors, or to-do list items, or no longer worth doing at all. Running around with your friends outside becomes running on the treadmill at the gym, scheduling coffee dates to see your friends, and attending networking events to make new ones. We think of those activities as good and healthy, but they’re actually remarkably unnatural, not to mention not very fun. Because if you saw a kid doing any of those things, you would feel like you were in an alternate universe. Kids don’t run to stay fit, they run to feel the wind on their face and the grass beneath their feet. Kids don’t network to climb a career ladder, they bond through joyful moments. Kids go for what they want without worrying about why or what for—they just want to have fun. As adults, we deny ourselves that luxury without understanding the incredible benefits we’re missing out on.

 

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Bridget Hilton | Keynote Speaker | Burnout Mental Health Motivation Workplace Belonging | Author Experiential Billionaire
In this thought-provoking episode, we delve into the concept of experiential wealth and living purposefully, challenging the conventional definition of wealth. Bridget Hilton and I navigate through discussions about complacency in finance and relationships, we explore how discomfort can be a catalyst towards achieving our goals. We touch on practical ways to challenge comfort zones and the importance of shared experiences in nurturing relationships. In this episode, Bridget seeks to inspire you to redefine your perception of wealth, live purposefully, and create meaningful memories through simple experiences.
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Bridget Hilton | Keynote Speaker | Burnout Mental Health Motivation Workplace Belonging | Author Experiential Billionaire
In their book, they surveyed over 20,000 people on their life regrets. It hits, y'all. I don't want to die with any regrets. The release of this episode coincided with a few other things for me– a dinner with Andi Scull, the founder of HOPE Gallery; an event for the Ubuntu Foundation; and scrolling across a photo of Kim Kardashian with two other powerhouse women who are all founders of companies.

The 'what are you waiting for' vibe really struck me. We can do anything we set our minds to. I get caught up sometimes in all the things that can hold me back. There will always be obstacles. But I prayed about it all and I was given an idea, and it can truly make a difference, and I want to make the most of this life.
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Bridget Hilton | Keynote Speaker | Burnout Mental Health Motivation Workplace Belonging | Author Experiential Billionaire
Frequently, we find ourselves postponing our dreams, thinking they'll happen “someday.” But today we questioned this tendency, inviting a contemplation of life's richness that extends far beyond the conventional metrics of wealth. In this episode, Bridget Hilton, Joe Huff and Aileen Xu navigate the art, science, and path to constructing a life abundant in meaningful experiences.
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Things That Die: An Interview with Natalie Miles, Bridget Hilton and Joe Huff

Most people bury this knowledge in the back of their brains and heap on distraction upon distraction—anything to avoid seriously reflecting on the fact that our time here is limited. We hide it away in hospitals and retirement homes. We pay lip service with bumper-sticker phrases like “life is short” or “you only live once,” but mostly we just suppress thoughts of our own mortality.

Bringing up this topic is considered bad form. Society operates under a silent agreement to keep any mention of our mortality off-limits. And when it happens—a friend gets in a car accident, a relative passes from a heart attack—you still might think, That's not going to happen to me.

Well, unfortunately, life is not a dress rehearsal, and death is too important to ignore. To embrace and understand what it means to really live, we need to make sure our relationship with and understanding of death is honest and realistic. 

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How Having Novel Experiences Helps Boost Mental Health

As pandemic restrictions started to loosen a little, I was overjoyed to find my pod of friends interested in doing all sorts of new activities—tie-dying clothes, teaching ourselves to roll sushi, hosting Connect Four tournaments, fermenting and labeling our own hot sauce and pickles, and sneaking out to Venice Beach at midnight to swim in the bioluminescent waves. As bad as the pandemic was in many ways, seeing others try new things with people they love was a bright spot, a small glimpse of what life should be like.

These experiences gave me natural bursts of serotonin and dopamine—feel-good hormones—that jolted me out of my depression temporarily. The novelty forced me to pay close attention to the task at hand, leaving little room to dwell on the past or worry about the future. And when I succeeded at something new, it helped build my confidence and courage.

My personal experience aligns perfectly with scientific research. The evidence states that simply being more present by doing something new stimulates and activates regions of our brain that improve our mood.

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Bridget Hilton | Mental Health, Burnout, Workplace Belonging, Motivational, Goal Setting Keynote Speaker | Experiential Billionaire Author

When you were younger, you might have had some type of allowance to use on whatever you wanted. What if you gave yourself an allowance for your experiences? We’re not personal finance experts, and there are plenty of books on that if you want to go deep (I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi is a great place to start). We do, however, know that when experiences truly become the priority, spending habits often change. 

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Bridget Hilton | Mental Health, Workplace Belonging, Motivational, Goal Setting Keynote Speaker | Experiential Billionaire Author

One day in your past, you had the last sleepover with your childhood friends, you just didn’t realize it. The last time you played hide and seek. The last time you pranked your parents. The last time you had a snowball fight. But why?

We asked 20,000 people, “What’s an experience you did as a child that you’d love to do again?”

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How do shared experiences play a role in corporate culture?

Some of my closest friends are people that I worked with that I shared once in a lifetime (or just out of the ordinary) experiences with, whether it was staying in a haunted castle in Scotland together, seeing someone hear for the first time, hiking Machu Picchu, or simply staying up all night talking about life after attending Coachella together. But it wasn't just about having a good time.

Shared goals and experiences play a crucial role in fostering a great corporate culture by creating a sense of unity, belonging, and purpose among employees.

Here are some ways in which they contribute to a positive corporate culture:

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Bridget Hilton | Mental Health, Workplace Belonging, Motivational, Goal Setting Keynote Speaker | Experiential Billionaire Author

This is a simple one, but can be powerful.

Plan an experience by yourself that you would normally do with someone else. For some people this could be as big as an overseas trip, for others it could be going to the movies, a baseball game, a hike, or a class.

Take notice of how you feel doing this on your own. 

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Bridget Hilton | Mental Health, Workplace Belonging, Motivational, Goal Setting Keynote Speaker | Experiential Billionaire Author

When did you stop playing? And by playing, I mean doing something just for fun, with no goals or expectations about the outcome. Even if it’s a game with winners and losers, the result doesn’t matter, and your aim isn’t to get better over time. It’s just to enjoy. (Consuming entertainment doesn’t count—real play involves your active engagement, beyond just watching a screen or turning the page.)

As a kid, practically all you wanted to do was play. Every other activity (school, homework, chores, family dinner) was something you had to get through so you could go play. 

But little by little, other things became more important. It’s not just that you now spend more (or most) of your time making sure bills get paid, people get taken care of, chores get done, etc. There’s been a social and psychological shift in priorities, too. Society expects adults to be productive, responsible, and serious; play is a luxury reserved for children. So, you might feel like it’s immature to play, and other people would judge you for it. And the less you play, the less exercise your imagination gets, and the more focused you become on practical matters—perpetuating the downward spiral of playtime.

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Bridget Hilton | Mental Health, Workplace Belonging, Motivational, Goal Setting Keynote Speaker | Experiential Billionaire Author

The Light Show Episode 177: Show Notes

Is the pursuit of monetary abundance leaving you unsatisfied? Are you worried about having regrets in life? In this episode, we embark on an incredible journey with Bridget Hilton and Joe Huff, the authors of the inspiring book, Experiential Billionaire. While they're not actual billionaires, their wealth lies in the extraordinary experiences they've pursued.

Join us as we uncover the profound impact of experiences on their lives and how these experiences have made them wealthy in more ways than one. Bridget and Joe are far from privileged individuals. Hailing from blue-collar backgrounds in Flint, Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois, they initially followed conventional career paths.

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Bridget Hilton | Mental Health, Workplace Belonging, Motivational, Goal Setting Keynote Speaker | Experiential Billionaire Author

Joe and I have worked together full time since 2012. We've been lucky to collaborate on the creation of multiple brands, write a book together, and be on the ground working on philanthropic missions around the world. We've also experienced the highest highs and lowest lows together over the last 11 years, and have seen each other and our co-workers grow leaps and bounds in ways we never expected. 

If you have a full-time job, you spend at least a third of your waking life working. That’s a lot of time to be surrounded by your boss, colleagues, clients, and business partners. The stronger those relationships are, the happier and more successful your work life will be—and shared experiences play an important part in that.

 

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Bridget Hilton | Mental Health, Workplace Belonging, Motivational, Goal Setting Keynote Speaker | Experiential Billionaire Author
Photos and small souvenirs allow us to powerfully relive moments, especially in times when you need to cultivate gratitude. This is our physical bank of memories. But often they get stuck in our phones, computers, or storage never to be seen again. Making the effort to organize these memories and display them where you live is worth doing. Save the memory, and one day, the memory may save you.
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Bridget Hilton | Mental Health, Workplace Belonging, Motivational, Goal Setting Keynote Speaker | Experiential Billionaire Author
One of the top regrets of the dying is “not keeping in touch with friends.” Make a list of people you’ve lost touch with but still think about. Why do they matter to you? It’s probably the ones you’ve shared some important experience or chapter of your life with. Would you regret it if you never spoke to them again? Pick one and start by reaching out to them today. Don’t wait. These are the relationships that matter. This is one regret you can avoid for free with just a phone call, email, or text.
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How do shared experiences help with burnout in the workplace?
The secret to strong bonds lies in shared experiences, especially novel ones. With yourself, your romantic partner, kids, parents, roommates, your ride-or-die, buddies, classmates, colleagues. It doesn’t matter. People are people, and experiencing new things brings us together in a...
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Bridget Hilton | Mental Health, Workplace Belonging, Motivational, Goal Setting Keynote Speaker | Experiential Billionaire Author
Something I ask myself on hard days: If I was elderly and/or very ill, and given the chance to re-experience a memory in exchange for all the money I had, what would it be?

I rarely think of the big accomplishments or bucket list items. Even though those things are important, I think of the moments like last night, a long sunset beach walk with my pup. Grateful for the little things in life while they last. ❤️

What memories would you go back to?
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Bridget Hilton | Mental Health, Workplace Belonging, Motivational, Goal Setting Keynote Speaker | Experiential Billionaire Author

One of the first things I discovered when I began to surf was how arbitrary and punishing the ocean can be. You get up on the board, start to feel confident, and before you know it, you're underwater in the wash cycle, the sea tossing you around. Once your flailing is over, you make sure all your limbs are still bending the right way and you take deep breaths, grateful for all that beautiful oxygen in your lungs.

That’s not so different from real life. Sometimes a huge wave seems to come out of nowhere and knocks you down, leaving you disoriented and gasping for breath. That’s exactly what happened to me in the first months of 2020. I found myself sobbing on my apartment floor for months straight, wondering how everything had changed so quickly, and desperately trying to find a safe and stable shore where I could plant my feet.

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Now Offering Workshops With My Co-Author Joe Huff!

Joe Huff and Bridget Hilton’s transformational workshop takes attendees through a powerful and entertaining half day focused on all the ways companies, teams and leaders can unlock powerful results and untapped human potential by learning how to identify and prioritize investing in fulfilling experiences.

Told through engaging real life experiences and backed by science, their stories energize, inspire, and provide the tools and habits necessary for attendees to learn how to find peak inspiration, build deeper and more meaningful connections with their teams and co-workers, overcome burnout, optimize individual and team performance, and cultivate strong feelings of fulfillment, community, belonging and wellbeing.

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Bridget Hilton | Experiential Billionaire | Keynote Speaker

Thanks Ethan for having me on! One of my favorite chats. 

Bridget Hilton is co-author of the "Experiential Billionaire" book, which was just released. Her backstory is fascinating, and jumps from helping launch the careers of artists like Rihanna, The Weeknd and Taylor Swift, to shifting into founding the first ever social good electronics company which helped more than 50,000 people receive the gift of hearing for the first time.

 

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Bridget Hilton | Mental Health, Workplace Belonging, Motivational, Goal Setting Keynote Speaker | Experiential Billionaire Author
It’s tempting to think life would be better if it always ran smoothly, right?

However, as much as you might wish that life was one fun and fulfilling experience after another:

Suffering and hard times teach us lessons that can’t be learned any other way.

But, to reap the benefits that come with hardship, you need to have the right mindset.

You must learn to reframe negative experiences into positive memories (or teachable moments).

This exercise helps you do that.
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Bridget Hilton | Mental Health, Workplace Belonging, Motivational, Goal Setting Keynote Speaker | Experiential Billionaire Author
One of my favorite parts of travel is the level of optimism and gratitude I feel in the moment and more importantly afterward. I saw this clearly on a recent trip to India. After battling cows on Delhi freeways, waking up at 4 a.m. to be alone at the Taj Mahal, and meditating at Gandhi’s ashram, I headed to Mumbai to meet with local education and water filtration nonprofits. There I learned that the massive city was roughly 60 percent slums — millions of people living in makeshift houses of corrugated metal sheets, tarpaulin, and scrap materials. Despite the efforts of government agencies and NGOs, access to basic amenities like clean water and sanitation remained limited. Residents faced many challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, high rates of crime and drug abuse, and limited healthcare and education. The area was also prone to flooding during the monsoon season, which made life even harder.
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Bridget Hilton | Mental Health, Workplace Belonging, Motivational, Goal Setting Keynote Speaker | Experiential Billionaire Author

 

When it comes to learning, Mahatma Gandhi put it best:

“Live as if you’ll die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever.”

In other words, cultivate a sense of urgency to pursue your desires and dreams now.

But—and this is important—don’t let that stop you from investing in your long-term growth.

When we’re young, we’re constantly learning.

Somewhere along the line, though, that growth starts to wane.

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Bridget Hilton | Mental Health, Workplace Belonging, Motivational, Goal Setting Keynote Speaker | Experiential Billionaire Author
Most of us have a bucket list of things we’ll do once we grow up, after the kids move out, once we’ve retired… or someday. The problem with someday is that we don’t know when or if it will ever come, and more importantly, why wait? Most of life’s richest experiences don’t cost very much at all, and most things you could start to experience immediately.
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Bridget Hilton | Mental Health, Workplace Belonging, Motivational, Goal Setting Keynote Speaker | Experiential Billionaire Author
Thank you Georgian for having Joe and I on the Gratitude Podcast! Check it out here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/experiences-make-us-grateful-1-2-bridget-joe-ep-854/id1148411834?i=1000625924167 -- Bridget Hilton and Joe Huff are obsessed with experiences. Determined to unlock the secrets of their power to transform lives, they have spent...
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