With the current state of the world and the extra stress many of us deal with, the pause is probably one of the most impactful forms of intentional ritual you can do! I believe we can be purposeful in implementing our own pauses, whether they be short-term or long term for reflection or revitalization, as well as the flow state of the world around us offering us or forcing us to take periods of pauses where we have the opportunity to also reflect, reorient and rewrite how we want to move through the pause and into action once again.
Take this moment to notice your breath. There is nothing to change, nothing to judge, nothing to control. Just notice the air coming in through your nose (or mouth). Notice the feeling of energy or electricity flowing through your body with each breath. And notice how you let go and relax on the exhale. Close your eyes for three more slow, mindful breaths. Be mindful of how you feel.
This is an example of one type of pause you can implement into your day. Make a point to do conscious, intentional DEEP breathing for a minimum of three cycles, best done over 30 cycles several times throughout the day, no matter how you’re feeling — whether you’re on top of the world or digging yourself out from under a mountain, practicing the pause is what supports our learning, healing, and growth.
A pause can consist of many different types of intentional opportunities to disconnect from the busyness and chaos we let throw us around in our life. Moments to hold gratitude for something beautiful around us, the smell of something that brings us a positive emotion or memory, conscious breathing, taking the time to fully listen, or being in a relationship with someone or something. Sometimes that pause consists of days spent playing and relaxing, and sometimes the pause is to heal the harm we have sustained on our journey and rewrite our wounding.
A pause is also necessary if you are someone who hits their “dig deep” button frequently!
Author Brene Brown is someone I have studied and followed for years, learning and being prompted to deepen my understanding of myself. This has transferred into my personal and professional spaces. Brown refers to this lack of pausing in her book, The Gifts of Imperfection: Your Guide to a Wholehearted Life:
“The dig-deep button is a secret level of pushing through when we’re exhausted and overwhelmed and when there’s too much to do and too little time for self-care.”
I know with what has been transitioning in many of our lives lately that the dig deep button is most likely getting pressed often leaving little for us to give in regards to self-care, energy, or even kindness or patience to those around us or ourselves.
When we choose to implement the pause in shorter and longer time frames, we derail the automatic hit of the “dig-deep” button, and we find our way to the right path, moving onward toward our goals and dreams. We remove the seeking of perfection and invite appreciation, gratitude, and value to the ordinary things we normally take for granted. We empower the aspect of simplicity.
To actively practice the pause, reflect, and restore, you simply need to STOP. Stop yourself mid chaos; stop yourself at every good memory, tough emotion, the transition from one activity to another, between one task and the next, etc. Do it by memory, or by setting an alarm to remind you or anchor it to certain things you do already in your daily routine but find those moments that are perfect to implement a pause.
Short or Long pauses:
- Utilize your breath – notice it, deepen it, and be intentional
- Meditate – find a practice that resonates with you and keep going when it isn’t easy
- Move – invite the power of intentional movement into your everyday
- Be in nature – it’s science; nature is the best therapy around
- Participate in equine-guided opportunities – horses are the ultimate teachers of presence & pausing
- Look outwards and around you to what is beautiful.
- Listen – stop moving, stop talking, stop trying to fill space, and listen
- Relax – dedicate time to allow for nothing, let your muscles release, let your mind not have to work
- Rest – make sleep or being at ease a priority to benefit your health
- Nurture – taking care of others, and ourselves fills our tank and allows us to move forward more focused and productive
The list of things that we could invite the ritual of pausing is endless.
I know for me, putting a pause before I put anything in my mouth has been important. I am an emotional eater and tend to have already swallowed away my emotion before even taking the opportunity to reflect on the trigger or unmet need.
I have been practicing the pause before I let my reaction take me to unhealthy food choices that later leave me feeling unsatisfied and unnourished. I am not always successful, but I am a lot more successful with the pause than without.
I encourage you to practice adding pause to your daily life!
