Lately, I’ve been feeling like I don’t want to be perceived. Social energy? Low. The desire to go off-grid? High. But then I sit with the thought a little longer and realize: I don’t even call people. If I did disappear, I wouldn’t know how anyone was doing, and they wouldn’t know how I was.

And if I’m being honest? It’s not just about checking in—it’s about my own curiosity. Yes, I’m nosey but I also care. I want to know what’s going on in my people’s lives, not from a post or a story, but from their actual voice. The tone, the pauses, the energy behind the words. That stuff matters to me.

So I’m making a change. I may not have time or a social battery to hang out all the time but I can purposefully check in. I’m creating a list of the people I care about and plugging them into my calendar. I’ll dedicate specific days to check in, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Because staying connected doesn’t take a lot of time…it just takes intention.

Here are a few things I’m incorporating into my life to live more purposefully and stay in alignment with my values:

1. Intentional Check-Ins – Whether it’s a quick voice note, a FaceTime call, or even a handwritten letter with Dru’s artwork from daycare, I want to be present in the relationships that matter.
2. Scheduled Solitude – Taking time to be offline and just exist. No scrolling, no external noise—just me, my thoughts, and peace.
3. Honest Living – Aligning my internal peace with my external actions. Living in kindness, operating from love, and making sure my energy reflects what I truly feel inside.

It’s sooooooo easy for me to get caught up in isolation, especially when the world feels loud. But I’m learning that connection and solitude don’t have to be at odds. I can have both—I just have to be intentional about how I show up.

Xoxo, Drea

12 years ago Sevyn Streeter and a couple of other creatives wrote this classic song and had the perfect artist deliver it. A fucking classic.