“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.” Psalm 34:15
My desire is to live in the presence of God and have a strong connection with Him. I want the eyes of God to be looking at Me and His ears open to my cries.

The challenge is how to make this connection? The block preventing this from happening is sin and a lackadaisical attitude about God.
The sin issue is easy to deal with if you are honest with yourself and God. Come before God and acknowledge your sins and ask Him to search your heart and find any hidden sin. The sin will always be there so your responsibility is just to be open to God and make changes as He instructs.
Also, your genuine faith in the promises of God will bring the righteousness of God and will over shadow your sin.
Secondly, God looks at your openness of heart and receptivity to His Word. Are you willing to apply the values of God in your life? And, will you be obedient to His voice even if His request is costly or controversial?
It comes down to an issue of your will or the will of God. Who is going to be your God?