“Sit-down”

The Negative

In a time where the coffee industry is full of empty cafes, full air-pots, & curbside banners fly in the wind, I know my day is filled with free time. Now that my shop is cleaner than an operating room, my espresso machine is as finely tuned as an orchestra violin, & being over-caffeinated is a serious understatement, all I’m left with is too much time to think & all to often my thoughts are negative.

The Change

Now, with more time than ever, it is easy to fall into a negative mindset & become too focused on the things that are failing or going wrong in the world. Many of us are feeling overwhelmed and challenged putting us in a place where we think “there is nothing we can do.” I for one have chosen to make a change & I am encouraging you to do the same. Let’s focus on the positive & turn challenges into creativity. We need to fuel a change in the world with new ideas. During a lull in orders at the shop, we have always enjoyed what we fondly refer to as “The Sit-down.” When it gets slow, someone states “So, should we have a Sit-down?” & everyone huddles around our favorite empty table, packin’ our favorite caffeine of choice, & we start a conversation. Before long, the caffeine muse has taken hold and the pointless rambling of this tattooed, hole-e generation transforms into a verbal diarrhea of new ideas. Ideas are enthusiastically tossed around the table & are soon deployed for their test run. You would be surprised what awesome ridiculousness comes from this. Great & terrible things are born, but great new ideas float to the surface. As this COVID-19 lull envelops us, I implore you to take this slow time & have your version of a “Sit-down”. Do WHATEVER it takes to get your creativity flowing! It’s ESSENTIAL. Crank your favorite music louder than ever, run around your house, scream at the top of your lungs, or just grab a pen to paper. Once your creative juices are flowing, reach out into your community.

The Positive

Everyone’s situation is different & this diversity is a great breeding ground for creativity. Your drive for creativity will inspire others. Do what it takes to reconnect with your peers, your friends, & your community. Maybe you could help them & in turn they may help you. Don’t let social distancing separate you, use it as an excuse to bring us together in a way you never have before. Don’t let the fear of change in our lifestyle & the world around us create negativity. Reach out & inspire new ideas that can solve problems instead. In short be positive, be creative; it’s contagious!

Photos courtesy of:

Toni Cuenca

https://www.pexels.com/photo/apple-keyboard-apple-mouse-background-brown-585752/