We All Want to Feel Seen

At the end of the day, human beings crave one thing deeply: to feel seen.

For some, that means feeling connected to others. For others, it’s living as the most authentic version of themselves. And for many, it’s the simple assurance that they matter—that their presence carries weight in this world.

It’s easy to think we see people. After all, lives are constantly broadcasted on social media. Our phones buzz with text messages, we scroll through highlight reels, and watch breaking news stories unfold from every corner of the globe. It feels like connection. But is it really? Or is there more to truly seeing someone?

To me, “seeing” someone lives on the opposite end of all that noise.

It’s sitting beside the friend who looks picture-perfect online but is quietly walking through heartbreak.

It’s noticing the person in the group text who made a passing, maybe even vulnerable, comment—and being the one who follows up with a message that says, “Hey, I heard that. How are you really doing?”

It’s watching the heaviness of the news and choosing to respond by pouring into your own community in small, tangible ways.

I’ll never forget a note I once received as I was preparing to graduate college. It had been tucked quietly into my things and read: “Thank you for always smiling when you see me.”

It stopped me in my tracks.

I had never given a second thought to smiling at someone in the hallway or striking up a conversation at the person next in line to me for coffee. It just felt like the right thing to do. But that note reminded me: it’s not always the norm.

It’s easier to look away. To stare down at our phones. To avoid eye contact altogether. But you know what’s actually easier than that? Looking someone in the eyes and offering a smile. Letting them know, even in the smallest way, I see you. You matter.

What does it look like to truly see others?

It looks like…

• A smile exchanged with a stranger on the sidewalk.

• A hug that lasts a few extra seconds.

• A home-cooked meal for the family adjusting to life with a new baby.

• An extra tip left for your server.

• Giving up a Saturday morning to volunteer at the local food bank.

• Putting your phone in a different room during dinner.

• Asking someone how their day was—and following up with, “Tell me more.”

• Petting your dog a little longer because they’ve missed you all day.

• Writing a simple note that says, “Just thinking of you.”

We all want to be seen.And the beautiful thing? It can start with you.

Start by truly seeing others—in the quiet, kind, intentional ways that make people feel like they belong.

You might be surprised how healing, powerful, and deeply human that kind of presence can be.