Today I was enjoying an early morning hike, and about halfway through the hike, there were two women sitting on a bench and meditating. I thought, “How wonderful! They are taking a moment to pause.”
What does it mean, to pause?
Pause. intransitive verb. 1: to stop temporarily 2: to linger for a time
– Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Seeing these two women meditating reminded me of the importance in pausing in our daily lives. Taking a moment for ourselves can be so refreshing and restorative.
Do you fall into these thought patterns that hinder you from taking a short break?
- I’m too busy to take a break.
- I feeling like I am sinking under the weight all of my responsibilities, I can’t pause.
- I’m totally immersed in this situation I’m in and can’t take a minute.
These are all good times to actually take that pause. The moment that you notice that you are feeling like you are overwhelmed is the time to pause.
A pause doesn’t have to be long. It can be as short as a breath.
- Stop what you are doing.
- Lift your gaze to look out.
- Take a breath in and slowly let it out.
There you’ve just taken a pause.
Do you feel refreshed? More alert? Have added perspective? Less stressed?
If you want to take a little longer pause, you can:
- Take five minutes to meditate
- Take 10 deep breaths
- Go for a walk
- Stand outside and look around
These are just a some ideas. What do you think would be the best way for you to take a pause?
When do you think you can add taking a pause into your day?
First, think about what will work best for you, and then try taking a pause and notice how it makes you feel.
May you have peace within,
Julia
