Letter from the editor: Millennials are slowing life down

By Courtney Warren

I was dropping my daughter’s best friend off at her house after an afternoon of crafting, ice cream and the park. The weather was cool, and while the two played at Strawberry Patch, I sat on a park bench with a coffee and a book. It was absolutely wonderful. The leaves have changed and the wind blew, creating a perfect evening. As the sun dipped low, I was reminded of how wonderful life can be when you just slow down. 

When we reached our friend’s house, that topic came up once again, and both of us moms were quick to thank the Millennial mentality. For so long, everyone was focused on this glorified “hustle culture” and the endless digital scroll. However, something I am noticing more and more with my generation is the idea of embracing a quieter revolution - a movement in which we are deliberately slowing down and resurrecting the simpler joys of earlier decades like journaling, sewing and board games. While our generation is often defined by technology, and as the one who created social media, seeing us also bring back the love of all things vintage has been so refreshing. 

The trend is visible in many other ways, from home decor to hobbies. Where we once were all obsessed with farmhouse chic, sad beige and minimalism, we are now seeing millennials reject those concepts and hunt for heirloom quality pieces. I personally have a rule in my house that if it doesn’t have a story, it doesn’t serve a purpose in my home. No Kirklands or Hobby Lobby allowed. This fascination has even extended to technology, with vinyl records, film cameras, and the rebirth in popularity of the good ole Tamogatchi. 

More importantly, I love that this movement is rejecting the “always on” mentality that defined the early days of the digital explosion. There was such a frantic pace – more followers, more life, and being chronically online. However, more and more people are rejecting their Apple watches for their own family heirlooms (myself included) in an effort to be less accessible and more present. Why is it that productivity is praised over presence? 

In a world where AI could easily take over – we have all seen the robot movies, it’s beautiful to know that patience is coming back in style. In our generation that was so focused on acceleration, the greatest luxury is now time. We are more focused on creating a modern life that feels rich and more grounded. So, if you’ll excuse me, I have an embroidery piece to finish and a mahjong game to attend.