I’ll be the first to admit it—I spend way too much time on my phone. Like, embarrassing amounts. Between filming reels for Burn Boot Camp, scrolling for creative inspo, watching tap dance videos (because apparently, I’ve decided to become a tap dancer in my spare time), saving ideas to keep toddlers busy, and trying to follow up with actual friends—my screen time report is basically staging an intervention.
So I have to be intentional. I have to put the phone down and look up.
Lately, my son and I have started walking our neighborhood together, and our unofficial hobby has become talking to all the dogs—and their humans, of course. There’s something surprisingly beautiful about saying hi to someone face-to-face. Wild, right?
We live in a world where it’s totally normal to go months—or years—without knowing the names of the people living right next door. Everyone’s wrapped up in their own busyness, their AirPods, their “just trying to have five minutes to myself” playlists and podcasts. And honestly, I get it. I’m the same way.
But when we constantly have our heads down—into our screens, our feeds, our own little bubbles—we miss out on the magic of actual connection.
My son and I have developed a sweet little routine. We seem to magically align our walks with the same dog-walkers each day, including the kindest older woman next door. She hobbles along with her cane and two small dogs, and I swear, she is full of the kind of wisdom you don’t get from Google. My son lights up when he sees her. It’s a small, beautiful moment—one that only happens because we looked up.
So here’s your challenge:
Put the phone down.
Look up.
Say hello.
Strike up a conversation in the gym, on a walk, at the grocery store, wherever. You never know what little nugget of joy, kindness, or unexpected friendship is just waiting for you to notice it.
“We’re all just walking each other home.” – Ram Dass