Have you ever looked around a room full of people, at a café, the airport, or even your own dinner table and noticed that no one is actually with each other?
Phones in hand. Smiles on faces. But no eye contact or conversation.
I’ve been sitting with that a lot lately. This quiet loneliness that’s creeping into our lives, even when we’re surrounded by people. We’re so “connected,” yet somehow, more disconnected than ever.
Especially when there’s a lot we can’t control—globally, locally, and even in our own homes, and the most natural response can be to numb out, to escape, or to check out.
THE PRACTICE OF PRESENCE
The path forward isn’t escape. It’s intention. The antidote to disconnection is presence. And presence is something we can practice.
For me, that starts with the simple act of pausing. I’ve learned and I teach that we only have control over our thoughts, our actions, and how we choose to show up. We don’t have to carry everything and can let go of what’s not ours to hold.
MOVE WITH OTHERS
Movement is medicine—for our bodies, our brains, and our relationships. Whether it’s a walk, a class, or a game of pickleball, moving together lights something up in us. It reconnects us, not just to each other, but to ourselves.
CREATE COMMUNITY ON PURPOSE
Community isn’t something we stumble into. It’s something we build—one honest conversation at a time. It doesn’t have to be big. Just real. Trusting. Safe. A chosen family of a few close humans who see you and let you be fully seen.
We’re not meant to do this journey of life alone. We need each other. We need breath. We need movement. And we need spaces where we feel safe to show up just as we are.
Because movement is life and so is connection.
-Dr. Francisco Navarro