find local upsides
In upside, Mason juxtaposed the disagreeable parts of an AirBnb stay with finding the upside of the situation. Despite the dingy accommodation and lack of Wi-Fi, cell service, and furniture, he was at the beach after all.
Just how many people wish they could be there right now, no matter the accommodations or amenities available to them? Would you happen to be part of this cohort? The beach holds so many activities, including but not limited to: sunbathing, swimming, surfing, building sandcastles, collecting seashells, and even enjoying the stirring or silence of it all. That doesn't scrape the surface of activities you could bring to the beach: a compelling book, beach adaptations of sports, exciting conversations, and more. I can only imagine how sunny it is, how warm the temperatures are, and how nice the overall vibes are. Even if none of these possibilities are true, enjoying time away from home can lead to much good, whether tapping into novel realities or exploring your imagination.
Still, I'm with Mason in enjoying having my surroundings, devices, and connectivity functioning to my liking. A less dingy AirBnb with more furniture doesn't have to subtract from the beach experience. As another example, take him not being able to watch YouTube videos. An activity as derided as that can educate, entertain, and enliven one's soul beyond belief. Like how basking under the sun on the beach can be fun, the same can hold true for enjoying someone's painstakingly crafted video.
However, sometimes life throws you into moments where there's more beautiful stimuli to explore. Indulge in how local your sphere of awareness can become. You might even forget that your phone is in your pocket to begin with. Shifting your gaze from scarcity to abundance can prevent the hyperconnective part of yourself from lamenting that fact altogether.
Packing material you want to consume in anticipation of scarcity presents another approach to solving this problem. While I already mentioned a compelling book, other artforms like videos and music can be brought along instead of served by satellite. What are your favorite beach watches and jams? How would you go about coordinating those with other activities, whether I mentioned them above or not?
You possess more creative direction over your attention than you know. Whether at the beach, on your blog, or elsewhere, conducting it in ways that keep you afloat help tons. How can you find the upside wherever you go?