The Gift of Presence

You may have noticed that I’ve been quieter online this year. That’s intentional.

The gift?

Over Christmas, my family and friends pointed out that I had been the most present I’d been all year. It was a bittersweet realisation. My first instinct was to defend myself, but I paused. I reflected. And I saw the truth in their words.

I took it as a challenge—to be even more present for the rest of the holiday season. That commitment led me to an important discovery: I had been overstimulated and operating in a constant state of “go.” It wasn’t until I semi-unplugged in January that I truly understood how much noise I had been absorbing.

Action for you: Take a moment to reflect on how present you are with the people who matter most.

Are you truly engaged, or is your mind elsewhere?

When I checked my screen time, I felt ashamed - according to the stats, I pick up my phone on average 250 times per day, and on average, I get 222 notifications per day. It’s not a surprise that I am overstimulated is it?

I’d urge you to check your stats out and put some actions in place to reduce your tech time. I have found this slow break-up with technology so satisfying.

Overstimulation and the Wake-Up Call

While away, I started to clear my inbox, sorting through emails and flagged messages from my EA. Then, I took stock of all the groups I was part of.

Guess how many?

Nineteen. Yes, 19 different groups. And I hadn’t even realised it had crept up to that number. That’s when I had to critically assess: How did I end up here? Was I truly gaining value from each of these spaces, or was I just accumulating more noise?

Action for you: Audit your digital and social commitments. Are you part of too many groups, chats, or memberships that no longer serve you?

Sometimes, we add things to our plates without realising how much they drain us. When I say “drain,” I am referring to the feeling of failure every time you miss something or say no because you have over-committed or when you try to attend 3 things in one day because you can’t say no…

The Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) and Re-Evaluation

When I shared this with my accountability partner, they suggested I had FOMO. At first, I disagreed. But then, as much as I hated to admit it, they were right.

I feared missing out on connections and opportunities, which led me to be in every room possible. But the truth is—19 was untenable.

So I started asking myself these key questions:

1. What was my original intention in joining this group? Does that intention still serve me today?

2. How have I been showing up in these groups, both online and in person?

3. How does this group align with my priorities for this year?

4. Do I personally know the lead or the key people in this group?

FOMO can sneak up on us in unexpected ways.

If you constantly feel the need to be part of everything, ask yourself:

The Power of the Pause

As I reflected, I realised that I had self-inflicted exhaustion. I had set myself up with aspirations and standards that, while admirable, had also drained me. The truth? I was burning out, but I didn’t even realise it until I stepped back.

Taking personal responsibility meant acknowledging that I couldn’t be everywhere, do everything, and show up at my best in every single space. I started extracting myself from groups that no longer served me—though, admittedly, I’ve only done this with three so far. That still leaves 16, but progress is progress.

Sometimes, burnout isn’t loud—it’s quiet and disguised as high achievement and my toxic trait is most definitely over-achievement.

Take stock of your commitments and energy levels. When was the last time you took a real pause to recalibrate?

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A reminder of Katie and I’s Pause and Pivot event at Battersea Power Station last month.

Protecting My Time and Wellbeing

As I build bigger things this year, I recognise that protecting my time and energy is non-negotiable. That means:

• Being fully present in fewer spaces rather than half-present across many.

• Accepting that I will miss things—and being okay with that.

• Spending less time on social media while still staying informed.

To navigate that last point, I’ve started checking in with my network and asking them to highlight opportunities or information that they think I’d be interested in. I do this for others all the time, so why not ask for the same in return? We can’t rely solely on email or social media algorithms.

Protecting your time is not selfish—it’s strategic. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

Intentional, Undocumented Connections

One of the greatest joys in the past two months has been participating in intentional, intimate gatherings. These moments have been undocumented—no posts, no stories, no status updates.

So, did they even happen? 😉

Absolutely. And they’ve been some of the most meaningful interactions I’ve had in a long time.

Not everything needs to be shared online to be meaningful. Some of the best moments happen when we are fully engaged, not thinking about how to document them.

With Peace, Love and Determination

P.s. If there is anything in particular you would like to hear about in these newsletters, please feel free to reach out and ask!

This week

We recorded two podcasts, both of which I am really looking forward to sharing with you.

Watch this space