Why are we so disconnected?
From ‘living’ to ‘survival mode’.
A few weeks ago, we had a total blackout here in Spain. No electricity. No internet. And no clue what was going on. Everything just… stopped.
At first, it felt strange – uncomfortable, even. But then, something shifted. In that unexpected pause, something became very clear: how disconnected we’ve become – not just from technology, but from ourselves, from others, and from the present moment.
A few questions kept circling in my mind:
• How did we end up here, so far from ourselves?
• When did phones take over almost every moment of our lives?
• Why is it so hard to have real, honest conversations with the people around us?
• And why are so many of us struggling with anxiety, loneliness, and burnout?
If you take a look around – on public transport, in cafés, even while walking – most people are looking down at their screens. We scroll through other people’s lives but don’t even notice the sky above us or the person sitting right next to us. We’ve become so used to being “connected” online that we’ve forgotten how to be connected in real life.
We rush through our days, ticking off tasks, jumping from one thing to the next, always feeling like there’s not enough time. But here’s the thing I’ve realised (and this might sting a bit): we often pretend we don’t have time. We say we’re too busy, but we still find time to scroll for 20, 30, even 60 minutes a day. We wake up and reach for our phones before we’ve even opened both eyes properly.
When I ask my yoga students if they’ve practised or done anything nurturing for themselves during the week, the most common answer is: “I didn’t have time.”
And I get it. Life is full. But I also think we’ve forgotten how to make space for what truly matters.
So how do we change that?
How do we come back to ourselves and to real connection?
It doesn’t have to be dramatic. We don’t need to throw our phones into the sea or move to a cabin in the woods (although sometimes I dream of that). What we can do is begin with small, simple shifts that help us feel more grounded, more present, and more human.
Here are a few gentle practices that I’ve found helpful – and that you can start weaving into your daily life. No yoga mat or special equipment needed:
1. Morning check-in (2 minutes)
Before reaching for your phone, take a moment to check in with yourself.
Place a hand on your heart or belly and ask:
How am I feeling today? What do I need?
It sounds simple, but even this small pause can help you start the day more consciously.
2. Grounding breath (1–3 minutes)
Whenever you feel overwhelmed or scattered, try this grounding breath:
Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 counts
Hold for 4 counts
Exhale gently through your mouth for 6 or 8 counts
Do this a few times. Feel your feet on the floor. Let your shoulders soften. Come back to your body.
3. Tech-free moments
Pick one moment in your day to be completely tech-free.
Maybe it’s breakfast, a walk, or your commute. No phone. Just you and the world around you.
Look up. Listen to the sounds. Notice the colours, the people, the little things. Real life is happening there.
4. 5 senses grounding
Feeling disconnected or anxious? Try this:
Name 5 things you can see
Name 4 things you can touch
Name 3 things you can hear
Name 2 things you can smell
Name 1 thing you can taste
It brings you right back into the here and now.
5. One act of self-care
Choose one thing each day that feels kind to yourself.
A slow stretch. A short walk. Drinking water. Taking a few deep breaths.
Self-care doesn’t need to be fancy – it just needs to be intentional.
Step by Step
We don’t need to change everything overnight. But if we start paying more attention – if we pause, breathe, and make space to really feel – we begin to reconnect.
Because the truth is, we’re not meant to live this fast, this disconnected, this numb.
We’re meant to feel. To connect. To be present.
We’re meant to look into someone’s eyes instead of into a screen. To take time to listen to ourselves. To move our bodies, breathe deeply, and remember that we’re alive.
The Light Comes Back
That blackout showed me something important.
Yes, it was uncomfortable. Yes, I felt a bit lost without my usual distractions.
But it also reminded me of how quiet and beautiful the world can be when we stop. When we pause. When we reconnect.
Somewhere along the way, many of us stopped living and started just surviving.
We wake up tired, rush through our days, tick boxes, meet deadlines, answer messages – and by the time the day ends, we’re too exhausted to feel anything at all.
We’ve normalised a life that feels like a race.
We survive Monday to Friday, we scroll to escape, we numb instead of feel.
But is that really living?
When we lose connection – with ourselves, with others, with the present moment – we also lose the joy, the beauty, and the depth of what it means to be alive.
And the saddest part is that we often don’t even notice. Until something forces us to stop.
So maybe this is your invitation to pause. To reflect.
Are you living each day from your heart, or just trying to make it through?
Coming back to yourself doesn’t mean quitting everything or having it all figured out.
It simply means choosing to be here more often.
To breathe. To notice. To care.
To shift slowly, gently, from survival mode… back to life.
We don’t need to escape life to find peace.
We need to return to it.
To presence.
To real connection.
To the simple, quiet moments that remind us we’re alive.
So next time you catch yourself saying, “I don’t have time,” I invite you to pause.
And ask yourself:
What am I really looking for?
Because maybe – just maybe – it’s already inside you.
And it’s been waiting for you to come home.