The Power of Pausing

The Power of Pausing

The day-to-day movements of working, parenting, being a wife, and a friend, taking care of the home, and then trying to find some time for yourself can appear to be a never-ending cycle when life becomes so noisy. You might not even realize it, but before you know it, you’ve fallen into a structured routine, and life seems to be passing you by. It is precisely in those times that we fail to remember to simply Pause. When we make time for ourselves to step away from all of our obligations and the activities that we do on a daily basis, we give both our mind and our body the opportunity to relax and, believe it or not, heal. I am discovering that taking a moment to pause allows our minds to refresh themselves, which in turn allows us to perform at our highest level and, more importantly, to feel at our highest level. Have you ever noticed that when you go nonstop without pausing your body is so exhausted? This is something that you should keep in mind the next time you try to go nonstop without pausing. This is your body’s way of letting you know that it can no longer provide any benefit to you and is therefore shutting down.

 

Over the course of my life, I have experienced this kind of exhaustion far too frequently. The exhaustion brought on by following a structured routine caused me to forget how to merely Pause for a moment. It doesn’t mean I don’t take care of my family, my job, or my other day-to-day responsibilities, but it does mean that I will find a minute in my day to take a break from all the noise around me to allow my mind to refocus. When we find this time to just Pause, we are reclaiming some of the control taken away from us and granting ourselves permission to have that intimate moment. Whether you do so to pray, meditate, think deeply about something, or simply close your eyes and be still in the present moment, this is an important practice. I had to take some steps in order to make sure I was consistent with this new practice:

 

• Block it off on your calendar
• Be consistent: My experience has shown that if you schedule something to occur at the same time every day on your calendar, you are more likely to carry it out and really incorporate it into your routine.
• Include it in your routine for practicing self-care: You’ll get into the habit of pausing and taking the time you need for yourself in this way, which is a huge benefit. To Pause requires virtually no effort and almost no planning at all. It’s simply you getting more in tune with who you are and seizing the opportunity to do nothing but be in the moment.
•  Maintain your presence and pay attention in the here and now; avoid using this time to catch up on other things or to have a conversation on the phone with your best friend. Really seize the opportunity to be present with yourself at that moment and revel in the experiences that we often overlook or take for granted.

I’ve found that Pausing in the moment allows me to merge into oneness with my own thoughts. When I am finished, I am able to be the best person that I know I am capable of being.  I am able to give my best to those who require and depend on me the most. When I take a moment to stop and reflect, I frequently have insights and am able to rethink both the reason I do what I do and why I do it. It is not selfish to take a break; in fact, it is entirely normal to allow yourself the time you need and to say “No, not right now.” Creating a place where you can stop what you’re doing and focus on yourself for a while is beneficial to both your physical and mental well-being. I always remind myself to treat my mental health with kindness! If you take the time to invest in yourself.