Iced coffee is my best friend

Is it just me or is there some major joy that comes with pumpkin spice season? I already love iced coffees and lattes, but seasonal drinks are nostalgia level good. Life is hard. But it is comforting to have a drink that consistently elevates mood. I love looking forward to it. I am certain many fellow Vocal readers do as well.

I love waking up in the morning knowing that my day will probably come with stress but that I can defuse it with a sip. Nice, right? Whenever I am stressed, I am like, well I have access to coffee so I'm good.

Is it sad that happy and successful adulting is so dependent on coffee though? Maybe. But consistency is important. Adulting is supposed to be hard but we should not be faulted for small joys. Sometimes we just need something that can fuel us through the day to handle insufferable customers, co-workers, and bosses. It restores sanity and makes us nice.

I remember reading an article months back criticizing millennials for ordering $6.00 lattes (we are def not the only generation making this "mistake"). It was cheap and akin to those cringeworthy "avocado toast" criticisms. Apparently, those orders are inhibiting our ability to buy a home and leading to perpetual car payments. As if millennials are the cause of inflation and increased costs of coffee, etc.

But that article got me thinking a little too hard. At first, I immediately followed the articles' reasoning and thought, what could I budget out in such a way that I could justify my once weekly purchase?? Like, how can I punish myself. I bought into the reasoning that I was somehow the problem. I was suddenly annoyed with myself for enjoying coffee, something that is universally enjoyed. I was annoyed that I was a human with needs. I was annoyed that I enjoyed a beverage filled with coffee, milk, and some sugar. The article was straight up shaming an entire generation that has dealt with enough and cannot catch a break.

But come on--- I had already limited my purchase to once a week! I made my own coffee the other days. Is it the same? No. I ended up throwing up my hands and decided that life was short. I had already limited my fun purchase enough. Wasn't I already ahead of the pack by doing that much? Even if I wasn't, who cares. My once weekly latte purchase had literally no correlation to rising interest rates and it certainly would not break my budget. The economy will do its thing regardless of what I do. Heck, I was able to justify it even with my student loan payments resuming this month (ugh).

This article would be lacking if I did not mention the value of supporting small coffee businesses. That above mentioned shaming article forgets that advice is better than judgement. Sometimes, a $6.00 weekly drink does good for the world. I try to buy lattes from various local coffee establishments to spread the love. Win for everyone. Why aren't articles like that more common? Reminding us to promote small businesses or just giving us life hacks that are joyful and affordable. Shaming just sucks right now. It's tone deaf. Americans are dealing with enough. So is the world. We don't need to be reminded that the economy is struggling and that we are supposed to be toughing it out caffeine free. How is that cool?

Sorry for my ADHD today. I went from praising my favorite drink into a vent sesh. But my point remains the same. The little things matter. Treat yourself within reason. The world is not hinged on your decision to order a $6.00 latte.