Over the past 3 weeks I’ve been taking a pause… I planned it as I needed the time to let my body heal from an elective surgery I had.  (Full disclosure:  I chose to have cosmetic surgery done on my eyes, specifically my eyelids.  Heavy upper lids is a Scott family trait that I’ve chosen to change for myself.) 

 Even though I planned this “pause” I noticed a lot of things that came up for me during this time:

- I felt like I SHOULD be doing something. I felt like I was falling behind. 

- I felt that I was being lazy. I felt impatient and anxious. (even though I’m healing so fast!)

- I felt sorry for myself, then I judged myself for feeling sorry for myself because I chose this!

Total.nut.job.

My inner talk and harsh judgments (and worries) were making my headache even more than it already did.  I felt so heavy with emotions but I really couldn’t put my finger on exactly what I was feeling in the moment.  It felt like EVERYTHING was off and I was angry and frustrated.  

About a week in on a Sunday evening while I was making a salad for dinner, I turned on the song “Stop this train” by John Mayer.  It’s one of my favorites because the story & lyrics always make me get emotional and I usually get a little teary eyed listening and singing along with it.  Well, this night produced a whole level of “emotional”...  

I had tears streaming down my face like a water hose! I couldn’t stop for a while even after the song it ended.  But when I did stop, I felt SO MUCH BETTER. I realized I had so much pent up emotion… I just needed to let it out.  

Afterwards I noticed my headache was gone. Everything felt lighter, freer and more beautiful in my body and my kitchen! It was transformative… and it got me thinking: Sometimes in life we need to take a pause - and we have to allow ourselves to actually BE in it.

Slow down and just be...

Take time to rest, reflect, recharge, rejuvenate

How long is a pause? 

It can be one deep breath; a minute to yourself in the bathroom, an hour-long walk; a day of self-care; a week of taking it easy to heal your body or a year to figure out your next big move.  It’s what YOU need. You decide. It is such an empowering thing to do for yourself yet so often we are so caught up in the “busy-ness” of life that we rarely if ever slow down.  Or, maybe you’re like me - you talk yourself out of it or judge yourself for wanting / needing the time. But the perspective that can be found in honoring your need for a break can be life-changing. 

So today, I’m promoting the power of the pause.  

I invite you to plan a pause for yourself so you can check in with yourself and access your own intuition. Ask yourself:

What do I need today?  What does my body need or desire today? 

Then close your eyes and feel into your body, and do your very best to give it what it's asking you for.

I’ll bet if you’re super honest with yourself, you’ve been longing to take a pause in some area of your life.  Take stock right now around your job, your relationship, your current circumstances, your responsibilities - whatever it is, just take a breath and check in.

What might you discover about yourself if you did take a pause, and consider the possibilities?  

What if you stopped resisting the pause and saw it as a valuable and necessary part of transforming your life?  

What if you stopped running from life and turned around and faced it - so you could figure out what you really want?

“Where you are is NEVER who you are, you are infinitely more.” - Mike Dooley

I could go on and on about this subject because my own experience around my own pause in the past weeks has been so profound.  And this was a pause that I CHOSE.  Those are the best kinds.  

We all know that if we ignore our feelings and our bodies long enough - we’ll be given what I call a “forced pause” in the form of an illness or disease…and that’s because of the stress we put on ourselves resisting the pause.

If you were looking for a sign you need a break - here it is. 

If you're feeling scattered, anxious, depressed, stressed or overwhelmed, it’s time to pause.  Take time for you to do nothing as often as you can.  You’ll come out the other side better equipped to handle whatever is on your plate AND your body will thank you too. 

It’s never wasted time.