This week, I did something brave; I asked my phone for advice.
Big mistake.

I said, “Hey Siri, how can I get more people to like me?”
She replied, “Would you like me to search the internet for how to be more engaging?”

No, Siri. I want you to teach me how to be more human.

You see, back in the day, when you wanted someone to like you, you just showed up.
You looked them in the eye, asked how their mom was doing, and actually cared about the answer.

There were no filters.
No “engagement strategies.”
And definitely no algorithms deciding who gets to see your smile.

Now it feels like the world’s one big popularity contest and everyone’s competing for hearts, likes, and follows.

But here’s the thing:

You can’t outshine an algorithm by pretending.
You beat it by being real.

When I was a young pastor, I learned that people could tell in five seconds whether you were performing or truly present.

There was a gentleman named Mr. Harris, who sat in the back row every Sunday. Never said much.
One day, I asked him what made him come back week after week.

He said,

Authenticity doesn’t trend.
It lasts.

1️⃣ Where do you feel pressure to “perform” instead of just be?
2️⃣ Who in your life has modeled quiet, steady authenticity?
3️⃣ What’s one way you can choose presence over performance this week?

Try this:
Have one conversation this week with no phone in sight.

No photos.
No posts.
Just eye contact, laughter, and maybe a cup of something warm.

Let your heart, not your algorithm, do the connecting.

Until next time… stay grounded, stay kind,
And remember: there’s no “like button” for real life.

Until next time,