But First, Coffee: Rediscovering the Art of Lingering

You know those little traditions in life that feel like gentle anchors? Ones that quietly remind you what really matters? Well today I was remindened of a little tradition called fika. If you’re not familiar with fika, let me start there. Fika is a Swedish tradition, often described as a coffee break, but it’s really so much more than that. It’s a pause with intention. A moment in the day where you step away from rushing and doing and instead choose to sit, connect, and be present. There’s usually coffee or tea, often something simple and sweet, but the real heart of fika is the time shared. The conversation. The togetherness. In Sweden, fika is woven into daily life—it’s unhurried, expected, and valued. A reminder that connection is not a luxury; it’s essential.

I’ve always been drawn to this idea, which is probably why one of my favorite books is The Little Book of Fika. Every time I pick it up, I’m reminded that slowing down isn’t falling behind. It’s choosing presence over pressure, people over productivity.

Looking back, Joel and I were practicing fika long before we ever had a name for it. Especially on cold winter mornings, we’d tuck ourselves into a coffee shop, wrap our hands around warm mugs, and just talk. For hours. About big dreams, everyday worries, and sometimes absolutely nothing at all. Time would slip by quietly, and we’d leave feeling lighter, more connected, more us.

Today, in the middle of a simple conversation, we realized something that stopped us both—we couldn’t remember the last time we’d done that.

Life has a way of slowly filling every open space. Appointments. Responsibilities. Seasons we didn’t plan for. Somewhere along the way, those long, lingering coffee shop mornings faded into memory without us even noticing.

So today, we chose differently.

We stopped at a new little coffee shop near our house. Nothing fancy. Just cozy. We ordered our drinks, found a quiet spot, and spent an hour simply chatting. No phones. No agenda. Just conversation that wandered where it wanted to go. And in that hour, it felt like we reclaimed something small but deeply important—a rhythm we didn’t realize how much we missed.

What I love most about fika is how quietly powerful it is. It doesn’t demand anything. It doesn’t try to fix or optimize or improve. It simply invites us to show up—again and again—for the moments that build a meaningful life.

An hour in a coffee shop might not look like much from the outside. But it’s these moments of connection, presence, and shared warmth that shape our days—and, over time, our lives.

If this season has felt fast or heavy or full for you too, maybe this is your gentle invitation. Plan a fika. Invite someone you love—or take yourself. Sit down. Stay awhile. Let the coffee cool if it needs to.

Sometimes we need a little reminder that we don’t need grand plans or big resets. We just need to find our way back to the rituals that once made us feel close and maybe longevity isn’t just about adding years to your life… maybe it’s about adding depth to the ones we’re already living.

❤️ Mahalo

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