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For many, the holiday season is a time for recharging and others; it is a time to travel and reconnect with family and friends. Either way, you approach the holidays, this blog post is for you.
Why is it important to embrace the pause?
There is sometimes some confusion about what I mean when I say, "Embrace the pause." I think that confusion is typical when you first hear the phrase, but as you start to practice 'the pause' in your life, you really feel what it means.
The pause is the space between your words or just before you take action where you get to take on the responsibility of checking in with yourself.
To simplify it, I offer these two questions:
What do I really want at this moment?
And, will what I am about to do or say get me closer to what I really want?
By checking in with these two questions, you leverage an opportunity many choose not to leverage. This 'pause' can afford new possibilities and opens up a hold new world where you become the creator of your experience.
Sounds pretty amazing.
There are many ways to embrace the pause, but in this post, I will focus on four that have worked magic in my life and may serve you as we roll into the holiday season.
Take a little longer to do things.
I love to get things done, and getting things done makes me feel good, or so I thought. However, as I began to incorporate 'the pause' into my life, I noticed that nine times out of ten, I was in a state of anxiety while I was doing.
The dilemma was that I was focusing on the doing that it became clear I was disconnected from how I was being. In this state of disconnection, I was anxious and reactive.
There is an opportunity to focus on quality over quantity when you slow down.
This slowing down may be hard at first if your pattern is to rush through things to get it done. Try to notice how your body feels and reassure yourself that it is okay to slow down.
Build buffers into your day.
From noon to one, we will be at lunch with Grandma and Grandpa; from one to three, we have to go to hockey practice and from there off to meet the Smiths for dinner. Does this or a version of this sound familiar?
Being busy seems to be worn like a badge of honour.
Try building intentional buffers into your days where you have time for yourself. The space to breathe will give you time to embrace the pause.
Periodically pause and connect with your heart.
Around your heart, there are over 40,000 neurons that can release chemicals like norepinephrine, epinephrine, oxytocin and dopamine.
You might recognize some of these as the 'feel-good' chemicals.
The HeartMath® Institute has researched the power of the heart for 30 plus years and found that by simply moving your attention to your heart, you can turn on these neurons and release the neurotransmitters, creating an overall sense of wellness.
There will always be moments during the day when you have ten seconds, and instead of looking at your phone, or going over your to-do list one more time in your head, try something different.
Move your attention from your head to your heart. That's it!
Avoid the commitment trap.
Overcommitting is a trap that many fall into from time to time. However, by not overcommitting, you are allowing yourself to practice a more spacious life.
One of the biggest complaints I hear as a coach is that there is not enough time to do what I want to do.
Overcommitting and the ability to set healthy boundaries is usually a significant culprit. Practice boundaries by not overcommitting. Go slow with this and keep it top of mind.
Embracing the pause at any time is worthwhile. We all could use a little more space in our lives. I hope some of these suggestions are helpful to bring awareness to how to implement that pause in your day-to-day activities over the holidays.
I'm always trying to connect people with the pause, and it has become my life mission; to live out that mission, I have created a few resources that may help you as well, and if you feel called, you can check them out.
RESOURCES FOR YOU
To create more joy in life you must learn how to practice gratitude and this 30-day Gratitude Journal will inspire you to do just that!
Your values are always alive and operating in the background. This self-paced workbook is designed to support you to bring awareness to your values and ultimately live connected to them; which in turn will give you a greater sense of freedom and joy.
Or perhaps you feel called to connect and book an Equine Guided Coaching session to support you to connect to your more profound truths.
I'm always happy to connect
As a Certified HeartMath® Practioner and Coach I can atest to the power of the heart as I practice these things in my own life. The easy to read book "Science of the Heart" can open doors you never thought possible.
