EP 7: The Origin of Local Threads
Download MP3Welcome to this week's episode of Local Threads, podcast about the people, places, and creative communities that make New England feel like home. I'm Molly, your host. And, usually, I'm here to share conversations with incredible guests, artists, designers, small business owners, and community builders. But today's episode is a little bit different. It's just you and me.
Molly:I really wanted to take this time and pull back the curtain to share the story behind Local threads, how it started, the values that drive it, and why it's become such a personal lifeline for me. We'll talk about my move to Boston, my search for community that pushed me to start this podcast, and how mental health shaped the way I work. So if you've ever wondered what's what's at the heart of this podcast or you're looking for your own creative community, this is where we start. So what is Local Threads? Local Threads started out as a sustainable fashion podcast originally centered around Boston and when I was in the early concepting stages.
Molly:But as I started working on it, it grew into something bigger, a creative community podcast that now encompasses the arts, third space curators all across New England. The concept was simple, highlight the fascinating people that I had already met and continue to meet through community events. There was a need in my life to create community for myself, not only in the spaces I was already showing up in, but also discovering new ones. And, yes, threads is a nod to clothing, fashion, and textiles, but it's also about the threads that tie us together. While rooted in New England, the values behind local threads are universal, sustainability, inclusivity, creativity, and collaboration.
Molly:It's all about rethinking how we consume, how we create, and how we interact with our communities. To me, it was really important to include everything that I'm interested in. And there are so many of you that are fascinating, and I can't wait for what all episodes we have in store. But, anyway, I digress. Why it started?
Molly:So we live in a world that wants us to stay locked into the machine, default to the online community. And, yes, online spaces have helped me, especially as a newcomer to the area, find things to do. But they hadn't yet provided a large source of value in my life. I moved to the Greater Boston area around March 2022. I relocated from Poland shortly after Ukraine was invaded by Russia.
Molly:I had never lived in the Northeast before, and I spent most of my life in the Central And Midwest of The US. And I was committed to never living in snow again. And as the universe does, she decided to ship me off to Boston. Before this, I spent time in the military, which gave me a built in community, which I had never had before. Whether I wanted that community or not, that was my community.
Molly:And ever since, community had been centered around work. I wanted to change that. I wanted to be a dependable friend when I was actually living in the location with my friends, an ally and a community builder. I didn't wanna keep being that transient person that was moving place to place, telling stories of places I used to live before and remembering it fondly after I had already left. New people, a new town, and never truly putting down roots.
Molly:That has been how I have lived for the past twenty years, and I didn't wanna do that anymore. I have had a career most of my life. The last ten or so more years, I've had struggle with mental health, and those challenges changed the way I could operate in the world. I had to face a new normal. And when they say things catch up with you, they mean it.
Molly:I couldn't go to restaurants. I couldn't go to events, and I still struggle with that today. I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. But Local Threads has become part of how I navigate that, and it's more than a podcast. It's a way to hold myself accountable through my guests, through trying new things, through showing up even when I'm not feeling a 100%.
Molly:There are so many times where I'm just like, I don't know why I signed up for this. I don't wanna go. There's gonna be too many people. And for me, I found purpose and structure through this podcast. And I'd be lying if I said this wasn't providing a huge benefit in my life without this commitment.
Molly:I would be very, lost. I was struggling to find a purpose. And for so long, I was chasing a different career path that anytime I tried to do something creative, I was met with rejection, and that that was something that I had a hard time dealing with. And when you're met with that rejection for so long, it makes it really hard for you to want to or think you can be in the creative realm. So I decided to challenge that, And I hope for listeners that you find some inspiration in some of the lore behind the podcast and how it originated, what we discuss, and the really complex lives of people that we often miss out on.
Molly:If you wanna get a little more deep about it, maybe you discover something new about yourself. For me, it's a personal quest, a tool for connection and growth, and most importantly, staying grounded in my own life. If you're someone who has ever struggled with mental health, you will know exactly what I mean. So in short, and I know this is a short episode this week, but I really wanted to get this out there and make sure everybody is on the same page. So that's what Local Threads is and why it exists.
Molly:It's my way of creating the community that I needed. One conversation, one story, one connection at a time. If you've been listening and you've been searching for your people or your creative calling or just a spark to get you through the week, I hope this helps you feel less alone. We're all just faking it till we make it. Thank you for listening to this short episode this week.
Molly:I can assure you that what's to come is going to be very exciting. We have some wonderful guests coming up, and, yeah, thanks for listening. Make sure you subscribe on all platforms. Helps me, help you, help me. You know what I mean?
Molly:Until next time. Bye.
