Hey Beloved,
July has been full.
VIP Hospitality events for some of the world’s biggest Track and Field Events, a trip to Montana, and family reunions.
Good full.
But full.
The lodge pursuit is moving too.
We have hit some big milestones, and it is getting closer to becoming the place we have been dreaming about on the McKenzie. More soon.
And for my Eugene and Springfield people—or anyone looking for a reason to travel—I am hosting a community-wide Unreasonable Hospitality workshop on September 10th for a limited number of people.
A room to talk about how we move from transactions to relationships, and how ordinary moments become memorable ones. Learn more and get Early Access Pricing when we launch tickets »
Ok..Ok…
In the midst of being busy, I have been reminded of one thing lately…
Move Toward People.
Because busy has a way of pulling us away from people without us ever meaning for it to.
We move toward the next task.
The next meeting.
The next notification.
The next thing we can optimize, automate, organize, or get out of the way.
And none of those things are bad.
I love building systems.
I love finding better ways to do the work.
AI is moving fast.
And everywhere I look, there is another thing asking for my attention.
And I am grateful for the tools that help me do the work.
But in the middle of all of it, I have been just wondering…
Is all of this getting me closer to people—or helping me avoid them?
I do not want to get so focused on making things better that I miss the people those things are meant to serve.
The person at the table.
The friend who has gone quiet.
The employee who needs more than a quick answer.
The customer who is carrying more than they are letting on.
The heartbeat in front of me.
Not with the perfect plan.
Not with a polished experience.
With attention.
With choosing to move toward the person in front of us.
This is not an argument against tools or technology.
The goal is not to become less efficient.
The goal is to let efficiency serve presence.
To use what we build to make more room for people.
That is the work I want to keep doing.
So…
Send the text.
Pull up a chair.
Ask one more question.
Stay in the conversation a little longer.
Move toward people.
Nathan 🧂
P.S. If you have a person in mind while you read this, do not overthink it. Send the text.
