Be Where Your Body Is, The Power of Presence

Be where your body is.

I gave that homework to a coaching client, and he was surprised. It sounds simple, yet it took him time to truly understand.

So many of us live in the past or the future. It surprises me how often people multitask during 1-1s instead of being present. Common does not mean normal. I often hear, “Can you repeat that? I just got a message from person X.” I can empathize with how distracted we can be; at the same time, I firmly believe leaders should lead by example.

I know I am asking a lot. It is an unrealistic expectation in some ways, because leadership titles do not change who we are inside. The work is to face reality and choose what we do with it.

“Be where your body is” is an invitation to awareness, not a call for perfection. Complete presence is impossible. The goal is simply to be more present than before.

If you lead others, test being truly present in your next 1-1. Make that person feel seen and important. You might even surprise them with how different it feels.

Some benefits you’ll notice quickly include clearer conversations, deeper trust, and better focus.

So ask yourself: when is now a good time to bring presence to what you do, where you are, and who you are with?

Your presence is the best gift you can give. In giving it, you offer your most precious resource: time.

Time taken never returns.

Every relationship, every role, every person is unique. You cannot fully explain some experiences; you must feel them.

Allow yourself to feel. Be open to a whole new way of living and relating.