09/07/2026
I’ve been feeling quite nostalgic these days.
While the modern digitalization of everyday life obviously comes with a lot of conveniences, I also feel like we’ve outsourced so much to automation, or just out of pure laziness, that we’ve lost touch with ourselves and others.
We’re also increasingly obsessed with productivity. Everything has to be faster, easier and “optimized” to save us time. But what are we saving all that time for if we’re cutting out the things that actually make life enjoyable?
The best things in life are often impractical and inconvenient. Meeting a friend at a coffee shop just to talk. Going to your public library to read instead of ordering a book on Amazon. Playing a board game with your family for hours. Joining a local farm cooperative even though the supermarket is easier. Reading a magazine or newspaper instead of doomscrolling. Cooking a meal instead of ordering Uber Eats. Going to the park to walk with a friend instead of alone on a treadmill.
So I wrote down a bunch of ways we can bring some of these things back into our everyday lives. Not because they’re more efficient, but because they get us out of our routines and around other people. And, in my opinion, they’re just a lot more fun than the convenient alternative.
This Labor Day, let’s choose community over convenience. Support local businesses, spend time with friends and family, talk to strangers (I know, crazy), and do things the “longer” way every once in a while.
Special thanks to my friend Jake from Southland Heritage for inspiring this message. If you’re looking to discover great, locally made clothing brands, make sure to check out his page.
xoxo
Lauren
