Why We Don't Pause
When was the last time you actually stopped moving? Not the kind of stop where you're still checking emails or planning tomorrow's schedule, but a real pause? If that question makes you uncomfortable, you're not alone.
I heard a quote from Mel Robbins about hiding behind our business and busying ourselves, which prevents us from facing the things in front of us.
In the mindfulness space, we often hear about pausing, being still for even a moment, finding white space, and turning our brains off.
While this is becoming more common, I’d like to call out the elephant in the room…
Pausing is really f-ing scary!
As Mel Robbins says, when we pause, our minds start to wander. Those thoughts start to actually make their way in. Ones we’ve been pushing down further and further.
I remember what was one of two panic attacks I've ever had. It was when my coworking space, the Hatchery, was open, and one morning, Sean could tell I wasn't okay. He asked me to pause and simply hug him. I started to go into the hug and pushed back. As I stepped back, I said, “I feel like if I stop moving, I'm going to get run over by a freight train, which is this business. "
It was an awful feeling.
The to-do list was as long as a black hole. Finances were not trending up, and my stress was affecting our family time. It was not a pretty picture.
I did figure it out, but the plot twist was that it wasn't from me doing more.
I immediately hired an EFT practitioner, Kelly. I unloaded all of the mental stress I had been carrying in a really long email.
She responded with so much empathy and how she could help.
There was a huge pause. It was like time stood still when I stepped into her office. I uncovered a lot of shit and was able to look at things (and myself) differently.
That pause ultimately led me to make the decision to close, which was one of the most complex decisions I’ve had to make but a much-needed one.
That was an extreme pause, but what about some small pauses? What could you see if you actually took a pause?
Realizing your boundaries have been thrown out the window
Acknowledging your health is not where you'd like it to be
Discovering your current services/customers aren't aligned with your vision
Noticing your relationship has become super passive
Recognizing your annoyances with others stem from your own unfulfilled promises
My coach says, “It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing things better.”
Are we doing more to prevent ourselves from uncovering those deep truths? I know I have reached that point and still sometimes fall into that trap.
What about you? What would an intentional pause do for you?
And even more, how could you start bringing in some intentional pauses throughout the day or week?
And remember, it can be a 5-minute meditation or journal session or an hour of business planning without your phone right next to you :)