Sometimes in life we get to choose when to pause, breathe and reflect.
Sometimes life chooses for us when we must pause, breathe and reflect.
Whether forced or chosen, pausing in challenging, big or pivotal moments gives one the ability to make a decision:
a decision about how to live,
a decision about how to work,
a decision about how to process the information or the circumstances that are bringing you to a pause.
Pausing is a critical step in the process of seeking happiness in the beyond, looking out and moving forward.
Why is this? Why must pausing occur in order to move forward?
By definition, to pause is “to interrupt action.” So it seems counterintuitive that pausing would create action or opportunity to move forward.
Here is what pausing does:
- It grants opportunity to listen (to yourself, to others, to your environment)
- It allows our minds to work out how to react to uncertainty
- It opens up the door to intentional decision making
Without pausing, we can move too quickly and fall too fast.
But, it’s hard. Life feels short and we often want to move, move, move and go, go, go so much that pausing, breathing and reflecting can feel like a waste of time.
Change the direction of where your mind goes when you feel interrupted by a pause.
Consider pausing as an opportunity - appreciate periodic “slow downs” to think and decide. When you do, you will live and work happier.
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(I've been taking some moments of pause, and now am ready to move forward. I look forward to sharing more writing soon, my friends.)
- T-Shank