Flourishing Feet… Really, feet?!

I know—feet might seem like an odd place to begin a conversation about flourishing. Even those of you who have patiently endured my many God Winks involving the word flourishing may think I’ve finally stretched the metaphor too far. But stay with me. There’s a story here.

Recently, in my graduate sports sales course, I experienced a moment of genuine Surprise and Delight. Instead of the usual book selections—Shoe Dog or Hustle Your Way to Success—one student chose a title I had never seen on a review list: Be Where Your Feet Are: Seven Principles to Keep you Present, Grounded, and Thriving. His reflections intrigued me, especially because I could easily swap the word thriving in the title with flourishing. That was enough to send me into Scott O’Neil’s work myself, and before long, the idea of Flourishing Feet began to take shape.

Originally, I picked up the book hoping to give students a compelling framework for why being present in class matters—not just physically occupying a seat, but truly showing up. Like many educators today, I wrestle with the constant tug-of-war for students’ attention. TikTok, text messages, last night’s game film—these distractions are relentless. And while distractions have always existed, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m losing them to their screens more than ever.

Yes, they can find the content of my lectures online. But what I struggle to communicate is that the people in the room—the conversations, the shared moments, the lived experience—are infinitely more valuable than the content alone. Presence has power, and I don’t want them to miss the moments unfolding right in front of them.

Inspired by O’Neil’s themes of presence, groundedness, and thriving, I recently shared a message with a group of athletes: “Make Room. Be Present. Be Where Your Feet Are.”

If I can encourage them to notice where their feet are—and then bring the rest of themselves to that same place—to make room for teammates, to choose presence over distraction, then maybe they’ll take their first steps toward flourishing in life. That’s where the metaphor of Flourishing Feet comes alive for me. When we pay attention to where we stand, we begin to recognize the opportunities in front of us. Those moments often become the memories that shape us.

Flourishing Feet also speaks to the Ripple Effect of availability. Presence is simply being there. Availability is being open. You can be present and still unavailable—but availability is powerful. It’s leadership without a title.

Scripture reminds us in Galatians to “carry each other’s burdens.” When we are available, we create space to encourage the homesick student, celebrate someone’s personal record, sit with a friend after a hard day, or lift someone whose heart has been bruised. Whose burden could you help carry today if you chose to be where your feet are? Who might you truly see if you slowed down enough to notice?

We live in a world that defaults to distracted, hurried, and anxious. Research confirms it, and our daily lives reflect it. But what if we made a different choice? What if we pursued Flourishing Feet—not just for ourselves, but so others might be reminded of their worth?

How might our culture experience presence differently if we chose intentionality over autopilot, connection over distraction? Maybe flourishing begins with something as simple as noticing where your feet are—and deciding to be fully there.

Reference:

O’Neil, S. M. & Wright, R.A. (2021). Be where your feet are: Seven principles to keep you present, grounded, and thriving. [Kindle version]. St. Martin’s Essentials.