The Archenemy of Presence

Today, we need to talk about the enemy of presence: absence. And I don’t mean physically not being there—I’m talking about being mentally checked out even when you’re right next to each other. One of the biggest culprits? Our cell phones. It’s so easy to get sucked into the screen and forget that your partner is sitting there wanting your attention. When you’re together, it’s crucial to be fully there—not just in body, but in mind and heart. Presence is about making sure the person next to you feels valued, not ignored.

Action Items:

1. When spending time together, put your phone on silent and out of reach to avoid distractions.

2. If you catch yourself mentally drifting during a conversation, refocus and re-engage by asking a question about what your partner just said.