hey, warm caramel apple bev.

yesterday i met with an investor in thriveandbloom who is also a friend, and we chatted for a full couple of hours

at one point, well over an hour in, he pointed to my phone — which was set face down (idolize your own damn self sticker up!) on the table. and he said to me:

don’t think i haven’t noticed that you haven’t picked your phone up once during the whole time we’ve been here

he himself had just used his to show me pics from a recent trip, and then set it back down

i appreciated that he noticed. and it reminded me just what a damn rarity intentional presence is

because it’s an absolute choice

and it’s one few of us seem to make these days

just because we have nonstop access to many people + endless information doesn’t mean we need to actually access it all the time, or more importantly…

to allow it to access US

and listen… of COURSE, if you’ve got children or loved ones in crisis or time-sensitive goings-on, turning that phone face down + ringer off just may not be accessible

AND THAT IS FIIIIINE!

but even then, you can choose to find a way to intentionally toggle your attention in a way that feels more present for both you + the one you’re with at the moment

because even when you’re pulled in a bajillion different directions + overwhelmed with the weight of the world…

you have the agency to choose to prioritize the person or situation in front of you

and doing so is actually a strategy for how to survive it!!

when you choose presence, you give your sweet self an everloving break from everything heavy that you carry

you start to soothe your nervous system

you let it slow + regulate

knowing that you’ll pick all the heft back up afterwards can free you to put it down for a bit without guilt, shame or worry

(and when you’re okay there, you’re more able to envision a world where you can put some of it down for good)

plus, what you gain through the act of intentional presence will sustain you long after the fact

the quality of human connection you create space for when you choose to be fully present with your people will fuel you + may even open up new doors or solutions for sorting through some of your troubles

the spiritual solace you get from being present + admiring in your surroundings will bring peace + inspire you in countless ways (including allowing you to hear the intuitive wisdom within that you’ve likely been stuffing down)

the satisfaction of being fully present in a job or task will fill you up while providing a temporary escape from what deflates

our tech tools are amazing + allow for amazing levels of connection + efficiency. it’s all about finding a cadence + structure that allows you to intentionally use them rather than get swept away by them

and to be clear… you can have no phone pulling your attention + still be utterly distracted. just like you can be on your phone + still present

there is no all or nothing here

just some things to consider in service of having the experience you most want to have with the people + world around you

got any tips to share around navigating it well?

you know i wanna hear em!

xxoo, cc

→ i loooooove to help people create a presence practice

hit reply if you’re curious!

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