The Secret To Human Connection

Great Morning Y'all!

Today, I want to share a skill that has helped me form deeper connections with others.

DISTRACTIONS

Man, oh man.

We are more distracted than ever.

Our phones,

the news,

the billboards around us,

the handful of conversations we can overhear at any given moment,

can make us feel like anything and everyone is grabbing for our attention.

That, coupled with a mind that hasn't been able to slow down since we were young,

feels nearly impossible to have a single moment of true silence.

A single moment where we can let our brain take a break,

and simply just be... Right here, right now.

So many of us haven't felt a true taste of full presence or true freedom in years.

It's become difficult for us to fully enjoy the beautiful nature around us when we go on a walk,

or have a two-hour conversation over dinner without the strong urge to check our phone.

All of this is understandable,

and not necessarily "good" or "bad"...

I just knew I was missing something about the human experience when I was younger,

and more moments of presence are the answer.

BEING PRESENT

Being present is normally our default.

The lack of being present is a more recent chapter in the book of human nature.

But I deeply believe becoming more present is something worth embodying.

Being present is when time around us ceases to exist.

It's when it feels like only ourselves and nature exist in the entire universe.

It’s when we’re having a deep dinner conversation with a friend and 4 hours feel like 20 minutes.

It's when our mind pauses its inner dialogue to fully observe what's unfolding.

Being present immediately puts our body in its most natural mode,

one that promotes healing and recovery,

as opposed to always scanning for threats in fight or flight.

Being present is the main trait found among those who live to be over 100 years old.

Being fully present in the moment,

instead of worrying about the past or future,

dramatically slows down the aging process.

Being present is the door we must go through to experience long, deep emotions of joy and bliss.

HOW DO WE BECOME MORE PRESENT?

This has been a long process of trial and error for me,

and of course, the best solution has come from the simplest advice.

The key to unlocking presence is subtraction.

The subtraction of distractions,

and the emphasis on doing less, so that we can be more.

So what do I mean by this "woo woo" statement?

Does that mean we should all quit, sell everything, and move to Bali?

No, that's insane.

I'm more present now, despite having more tasks and responsibilities than before.

The goal is to cut out the other stuff.

Subtract the blind consumption of media or anything else that sucks away our time,

that makes us either worry about the future or dread the past...

And replace those activities with something that lets us live in the present moment.

This means more walks in nature,

with the intention of observing everything that's going on around us.

This means we eat our food slower,

without watching TV.

This means keeping the phone in the other room while we're having dinner with a friend.

It's about filling our lives with not only "doing" activities but also "being" activities.

This is how we find the true yin and yang balance of life,

and how we're able to put all of our love, attention, and power into every moment.

CONCLUSION

Being more present has recently become a number one priority of mine.

I see how much better I can show up for my girlfriend, my friends and family, and my clients.

It's also something that is getting increasingly difficult to do in this busy world.

Tomorrow, I'll be sharing a tool that has been the biggest catalyst in my life towards presence.

To be transparent, this edition of the Love Letter feels like an older version of my writing.

It lacks a story, which is something I've noticed to be the most impactful for everyone reading.

I'm doing my best to become the most effective storyteller I can be,

because that's what allows people to remember, but FEEL my writing.

That's when more people are able to take something away from my story and apply it to their own lives.

I’ll get better at that.

That's it for today.

I want you to know that you are loved and enough.

See you tomorrow,

I unconditionally love you all.

-Cameron Hogan