Part of storytelling is sharing something of value.

I often think about how I can get the most value out of the moment. As I travel now in Andalucía, I'm not only thinking about how to fully enjoy and appreciate this beautiful culture but also how I can capture moments and share them. How can I take low-effort, high-leverage actions to capture the moment, and in a short review cycle, distill those moments into something shareable? Something valuable to a future me, and to my friends, loved ones, and community.

Sure, it’s very American, very capitalistic, shaped by an environment that constantly demands productivity—the perpetual squeezing of the human lemon for some productive aim. I’m aware of the dark side to it, but when tamed, when controlled and domesticated, this purpose-driven thinking allows us to lean more fully and consciously into our values.

Lately, I've been feeling called to become a better storyteller—and so much of capturing these moments is in service of becoming a better storyteller in the moment. The more material, the more experiences, the more facts I gather, the more fun it becomes to weave connections into conversations. It helps me illustrate my experiences when sharing with others. I also think good storytelling involves delivering something of value—something that inspires others, offers new information, or helps ensure that their experience in life will be better after the story than it was before.

My inspiration is leading me toward what can very loosely be called storytelling. Really, it's more a resource for sharing the experience of a place—a list of recommendations for each city I visit based on my own experiences. I plan to create web pages for each city, featuring a list of recommendations alongside an embedded Google Maps with the locations pinned for easy reference. Less guessing, less friction in transmitting the information. Fewer uncertainties about whether someone found the right place, the correct location, or whether it’s still open.

Technology can be part of telling and sharing our stories, even if it’s not an explicit narrative. Sharing a page of resources is sharing the story of our experiences, allowing others to follow in our footsteps. It’s all the better to use these technological advancements to help us connect and share our experiences with one another.