Today we’re pasting our photos on the side of FACTORY in support of the Dreamers. I believe that American Values are that we care for each other and kids who were raised in these United States are certainly our own. #loveyourneighbor #westslopebestslope
Comments Off | political
This seems to be like a good time for me to give my shopping local speech. What shopping local really boils down to is shopping with intention. Sometimes that takes more time and sometimes that takes a little bit more money. But it also means so much for your community.
Shopping small, at locally owned shores, means that 68% of each dollar you spend stays right in your community. Our city is primarily funded by sales tax so those dollars go to provide roads, sewer, police, fire, EMS, parks and so much more. This process is something I get to see happening close up everyday. Perhaps more importantly, that 68% staying in our community means that our friends and neighbors who own local businesses get to continue to do what they love, providing great service and unique products. Being a former retailer I can promise you that every single person who shopped at my store really did matter and really did make a difference to my business.
When you shop at a local chain store, 43% of every dollar you spend stays in the community. So it’s not as much as shopping at a locally owned store, but it’s still significant.
Sometimes it’s a necessity to shop online and there are wonderful things about this age of the internet that we live in but there are also ways that it ads another barrier to human connection. We don’t get to see the shop owner face to face when we shop online. We don’t get to know their stories and that they just had a new grand baby and that they’ve been running this business for 30 years or that they had to learn how to run the whole thing when their husband suddenly died. We don’t get to get out of the house and interact with members of our community and connect in ways that would never happen with a screen between us and everyone else.
It’s my job to promote local business but it’s also a way of life that I deeply believe in. My commitment is to shop small and local whenever I can and I hope it’s yours too!
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Here’s the work that I’m practicing right now:
I’m remembering that everyone is my teacher. I’m taking the longer view. I’m learning what I can from everyone, even when it’s hard. Even when they complain to me about parking.
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I’m sitting down every morning before I start my day to write three things I’m thankful for about my job. I’m focusing on three things I’m thankful for about my life, too. It’s a really good life.
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I’m learning how to protect my little, empathic self from feeling all of the things so I can focus on what’s important and feel what’s important.
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What is the work you’re doing right now?
#lookup
Comments Off | heart