Be Where Your Feet Are

I find it so funny how the older generation always says us Gen Z are chronically online. And yeah, a lot of us probably are glued to our phones. But as a child of immigrant parents, with family scattered overseas, I’ve also seen the aunties and uncles (but especially the aunties) posting on WhatsApp statuses like it’s their full-time job. How do I know your whole life story? A new quote, a new video, an embarrassing picture of the young people in the family; you name it!

Honestly though, I think I’m turning into one of them. I’ve been posting my fair share too. But don’t worry I’m a cutesy aunty. Demure if you’d like.

On a serious note, I’ve realised a lot of things that look negative can actually have positive purposes. I’ve seen motivational content, kept up with family lives, and even learned a few things along the way. One quote I have seen a few times was “Be where your feet are…” Just before 2025 ended, I asked God for a word for the new year, and while watching a video about people being chronically online, that same quote really stuck with me.

Be where your feet are? Right now as I type my feet are at the bottom of my bed tucked under a blanket. Technically, I am where my feet are. I am propped up in bed, under my blanket. Sounds easy right? But for myself and for many of us, this is such a difficult notion. What does it actually mean to be where your feet are? Let’s delve into it…

I have soooooooo many things I want to achieve, and so many desires I wish could happen instantly. My mind gets busy worrying about timelines. The “whens”, the “how longs” and the “ifs and buts”. My imagination races ahead, drifting into daydreams and anxieties. I can feel myself becoming restless when I’m unsatisfied, or tense when the unknown starts creeping in. All of this is me reacting to the future when my feet are still in today.

Being where your feet are calls me back to the moment I’m actually standing in. In 2026, I want to live life day by day, hour by hour, because I can already feel how draining it is to worry about tomorrow while carrying today’s to-do list.

Being where your feet are is often framed as stillness or presence, but I’m realising it goes deeper than that. It’s about choosing to be proactive instead of reactive, and these are some of the elements I’ve been sitting with.

Dying to Self

I am a fiend for comfort. I love what I like and what I know. I’m drawn to instant fixes and quick relief, often without stopping to think about the consequences. I move on impulse, chasing little pockets of happiness that fade just as fast as they come , so I crave more. Giving in to my desires isn’t always helpful for life as a whole, especially when I’m led more by emotion than intention. As humans, I think being emotion led is one of our greatest flaws.

Being where your feet are means resisting the urge to escape discomfort through quick fixes, and instead staying with the moment. Even when it’s boring, quiet, or a bit inconvenient learning to be okay with that. It’s not about denying joy; it’s about locking in and choosing what sustains me, not just what soothes me temporarily.

Self-Control

Heavy on self-control! This one, HEY,  only my Lord and Saviour can help me with. In some areas, I’ve learnt. The learning was usually after facing the consequences first. But in others? I’m still very much a work in progress. I can be snappy. Quick with my mouth. Petty thoughts? Yikes. And yes, I do love a good old sweet treat (or two). In a lot of ways, I’m reactive.
Where dying to self is the internal choice, self-control is what that choice looks like on the outside.

Being where your feet are means responding to what’s actually happening in front of you, not reacting off habit, impulse, or emotion. It’s pausing long enough to clock yourself before your actions run ahead of your emotion.

Temperance

Temperance is knowing when enough is enough and being okay with that. It lets you enjoy what’s in front of you without overdoing it or numbing out. Calm, steady, demure even — grounded rather than scattered.

Stewarding

Back in my uni days, collecting that student finance money, I made some very silly financial decisions (and no, I was not with the fraudsters). I spent impulsively instead of saving, and some of those habits definitely followed me into the real world.Money is still a sensitive topic for me, but God has been teaching me wisdom and helping me unlearn a few things along the way.

I’m realising stewarding goes far beyond finances. It’s about learning how to steward my time, my energy, and even my boundaries. I’ve had to realise how much I procrastinate, or how often I say yes when I really should say no and sometimes even the opposite.
Being where your feet are means taking care of what you’ve been given: your time, energy, body, and attention. Stewarding is treating those things like they matter, not spending them on constant distraction or fake urgency. Very intentional. Very grown.

Gluttony

As I’ve mentioned, I love a sweet treat. I’m definitely an emotional eater, and I’ve also got into the habit of snacking while watching something — you know, the automatic “let’s just munch” mode. Over the past few years, my weight has gone up and down, and lately, I’ve noticed my belly has grown more than I’d like.
What’s interesting, though, is when I partake in the mindful act of prayer and fasting, my cravings are less. Funny, isn’t it?

Gluttony isn’t just about food; it’s about overindulging or seeking comfort in ways that pull you out of the moment. More scrolling, more noise, more everything. It pulls you into autopilot mode and away from the moment. Being where your feet are helps you to notice when excess is just avoidance dressed up as comfort.

Gratitude

Sometimes I actually just pause and deep, when I’m cold I can turn on the heating. When I’m tired I can return to bed. When I’m hungry, I have the audacity to say “there’s nothing to eat” with a full cupboard. I even have money to purchase more from the store. Yet, I will still find something to complain about.
Gratitude brings me back to now. Being where my feet are shifts my focus from what I don’t have to what’s already here held, breathed, lived. It’s not loud or performative.

Foreboding Joy

I tend to struggle with this. My brain does this dance of doom and gloom often and it ruins joyous moments for me. I even struggle with happy events because I tell myself this elated feeling will be gone in a few hours, why bother?

Foreboding joy is when I brace for something to go wrong instead of letting myself enjoy what’s good. Being where your feet are,  means allowing joy without rehearsing grief. Choosing trust over fear. Letting the moment be sweet, even if it feels risky.

Rumination

Since I was a child, my brain has been collecting its own little archive of “video tapes,” ready to replay at the most random moments. Other times, I’ll be in a situation; a disagreement, a conversation, and I find myself rehearsing what could have been said, what was actually said, and all the possible implications. My mind just keeps spinning, long after the moment is over.

Rumination keeps my body here but sends my mind elsewhere  replaying old moments or projecting new ones. Being where my feet are is learning to recognise it and gently interrupt it helps me come back to what’s actually happening now.

Pause:  I’m aware that many of these struggles can also be linked to anxiety or depression, and neurodivergency. As someone diagnosed with ADHD, I know how much they can impact daily life. If you recognise them in yourself and feel like you’re struggling, please don’t hesitate to reach out for support.

As we move through 2026, I just wanted to shine a light on patterns that can sometimes be destructive, keeping us from reaching the heights God has for us. Funny enough, many of these things have been addressed in the Bible long before we even start talking about “being present.” (Matthew 6:34). Jesus himself asked for daily bread in His famous prayer, reminding us of the importance of taking life one day at a time (Matthew 6:11).

For every reader, I pray that this year is refreshing, full of new memories and joyous moments. May the Lord give you strength in the battles ahead, grant you peace in the chaos, and guide you as you pursue your goals. God willing, may some of the desires of your heart come to fruition this year.