Take More Pauses in 2024
“Practice the pause. Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you’re about to react harshly and you’ll avoid doing and saying things you’ll later regret.” ― Lori Deschene
As a middle school English teacher, we do a lot of writing and working through grammar to become better communicators, both in the spoken word and written word.
Recently, we talked about the purpose of the comma. It’s a momentary pause. The writer has the intention for something to soak in or to take a breath to what is coming next.
We could all learn a little something from the comma.
In a 2018 Pew Research Survey, it revealed that 60% of adults in the United States felt that they were too busy to enjoy life. Five years later, that number still holds true.
Are you one of these people?
If so, consider an intentional pause.
Sometimes we need to take a pause before we say something we will regret.
But sometimes it’s taking in a moment of gratitude or savoring a precious moment in time.
It might be the pause so that we can offer more patience and grace to ourselves and others around us.
Taking a pause is challenging but not impossible.
When you’re in the middle of the chaos of busy living, it’s such a challenge to take a pause. It might even seem impossible.
While I don’t know your situation or your daily routine, I do know this: you can pause if you make it a priority.
The problem is that most of us don’t make pausing a priority.
There are several opportunities to pause throughout the day. Stopping to take a sip of coffee, sitting at a stoplight and taking a couple of deep breaths, putting lotion on your hands, watering plants, etc.
These are all simple examples of taking a pause. They are routine tasks in our day, but we don’t think of them as taking a pause.
Rewire your thinking and you will begin to notice lots of opportunities to pause.
In my classroom, I post the daily agenda for our time together in class. The very first item on the list every day is this: Take a deep breath. :)
Why? Because kids need to take a pause too. Sometimes their morning gets off to a rough start, they get into an argument with a friend, or they don’t do so well on a test.
Coming in to see that gives them a reminder to hit the reset button. To pause.
What happens when we start intentionally pausing?
Honestly, I’m a better person when I take a pause. I show up in the world in a more meaningful way.
Sometimes I think that message on my daily agenda is more for me than the kids. I need that reset so that I can come to each class with a fresh beginning. I want to give them the best I have to offer, and I can only do that if I’m in the headspace that they deserve.
We all play various roles throughout our day: partner, parent, co-worker, leader, friend, etc.
If we want to show up for others, we deserve to first show up for ourselves.
It begins with the pause.
Until next time, be well friends.
Christine Denker is a writer, podcaster, adventure seeker, and educator. She writes personal development pieces on physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual health. Check out her podcast Let the Adventure Begin with Chris Denker wherever you listen to podcasts. Drop in for a listen, stay for the delight that is her.