I’ve noticed I can feel the difference when the peace the Spirit brings isn’t with me. When that happens, I immediately ask our Father in Heaven to help me move past temptation and negative feelings so I can be of more use to Him and to my brothers and sisters. I pray, study the scriptures, and listen to hymns every day to help me overcome difficult feelings or weaknesses and to remind me to rely on the Lord and not on myself.
Ryan Ehrgood, "Finding Strength in Christ to Finally Change My Life", Liahona, February 2021
Even the smallest activities that we find ourselves doing or the circumstances that we find ourselves in, that aren't positive or edifying or uplifting, can cause the Spirit to leave us. Not necessarily because of what we're doing but because He Himself, the Holy Ghost, does not abide in those situations...period, because of who and what He is.
The Spirit is only about growing us, strengthening us, developing us, improving us, so when we're surrounded by circumstances where that isn't happening, then He leaves. And, because I was baptized and received the Holy Ghost to be with me permanently, means I can feel His presence and protection always, which means also, theoretically, I could always be improving.
And I can feel the difference when He leaves me. It could be something as meaningless as the music I listen to. Or the movie I am watching. He doesn't want to be around as I listen to hard rock music, for example. Though that music isn't necessarily bad, it's just not uplifting.
So, I need to be more sensitive to my surroundings and be careful of what I do so that I can "always" have the Spirit to be with me.