“Think back to the most important experiences of your life, the highest highs, the greatest victories, the most daunting obstacles overcome. How many happened to you alone? I bet there are very few. When you understand that being connected to others is one of life’s greatest joys, you realize that life’s best comes when you initiate and invest in solid relationships.” - John C. Maxwell

Unplug to Experience: Cultivating Presence in a Screen‑Driven World

Experiencing Life

To experience life, is that not what we are here for? What do we want if it is not for that. Personally I believe there is such value that comes with making the choice to unplug from our screens for a moment. Do we really have to pull our phones out for the micro waits in life? Standing in line at a coffee shop, or at the store; I could go on. What about taking a moment to take in your surroundings while you wait. Or to start a conversation at the coffee shop. There are many options.

I have tried to be intentional about when I am on my phone. I have narrowed down what I use it for so that the apps that are designed to keep me on them are not on my phone to begin with. Instead I only access those from my computer and I put limits on myself as to how often I go to them. Sure technology can be great in some areas if used with a purpose but I fear that much of it is designed to capture attention. Once that attention is captured are we really using it with purpose anymore? Or are we captured in the tech that was supposed to be serving us?

These are things that we as adults have to grapple with for ourselves. What astonishes me is that before we have even come to a conclusion of how we choose to relate to tech as adults. What our own boundaries look like. We are handing so many of our children their own devices. What position does that put them in and is it healthy for them? Do we even know the consequences developmentally and yet without a second thought the kids have their own tablets, smartphones, and gaming systems.

Going back to experiencing life, and my own experiences. Because my parents made the choice to put limits on how much tech use I was allowed as a kid. I have experienced what life is like when there are no screens. Personally, I am thankful. Years later, when a hard moment of my life came, I started to numb myself by constant scrolling through social media. My saving grace was that I had experienced what life without screens could be like; so I was able to recognize early on that this was turning into an addiction and take the preventative steps that were necessary to end it early on.

Without my childhood being mostly unplugged, I may have gone on for months before I became aware of what I was doing. Let us choose to be aware of the choices we make and do our best to have wisdom in the decisions we make. 

Looking back, the moments when I deliberately stepped away from the glow of a screen are the ones that still feel vivid—the scent of fresh coffee, the rhythm of a sidewalk conversation, the quiet of a park bench. Those memories reminded me that the world doesn’t pause for our notifications; it keeps moving, waiting for us to notice. If we can teach ourselves to pause, to listen, and to choose presence over distraction, we give both ourselves and the next generation a chance to live more fully. So the next time you reach for your phone, ask yourself: ‘Am I adding meaning, or merely filling a gap?’ The answer will shape the story of our lives.

In a world that constantly asks for our attention, the greatest act of rebellion may simply be to be present. The silence between notifications is where we hear our own thoughts, feel our breath, and rediscover reality. If we teach our children to value those pauses now, we plant a seed of mindfulness that can grow into a generation less captive to endless scrolling and more attuned to lived experience. The choice is ours—let it be one that honors the richness of life beyond the screen.