The Power of the Pause
Sheri Here –
Sometimes you need to stop! There is power in the pause.
Depending upon the situation, that pause can be 5 minutes, 5 hours, 5 days, or 5 weeks.
Our world of instant communication can work for me or against me.
Stopping to collect my wits when I’m in a sticky spot, before I hit send is frequently a good idea.
If I pause, stop, and take a deep breath or two before I proceed, I might create no additional upset.
If I reconsider the note or text I was going to send and ask myself, is it the appropriate thing to be said, to be said by me, to be said by me now – I frequently prevent bigger, longer-term issues.
Maybe I need to wait a little longer to hit send or never send at all.
What I often found is that after a pause, I would reframe the note, soften the language and be more productive in my answer. Plus, avoid hurt feelings or need to do damage control, later.
HALT – Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired
HALT, an acronym for Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired – is a great reminder to STOP, halt, if you are any ONE of those things. What my experience has been is poor decisions or actions follow, if I don’t take care of the underlying problem first.
In a situation, where I am hungry, angry, lonely, OR tired I can get real grumpy. The next person I see is likely to get their head bitten off for no apparent reason.
I’ve had my husband George ask me a question, and my response be, “I think I need to eat before I answer.” After I’ve eaten something nutritious – doesn’t have to be a huge meal, I’m more rational and will give him the answer that’s a reasonable response.
Longer Pause – Vacation
Other times, I need to take a longer break, a time away, a long weekend, or a vacation to completely disconnect. After that I’m recharged and return with a new perspective on life – either you love it and feel blessed or you realize you need a change of some kind.
Not long ago, I visited my sister in Arizona, for a week. When I left I was rushed and hassled by the small everyday stuff.
The drive in the open spaces crossing the desert from Los Angeles, was meditative. Sleeping in, walks, a massage, and working on a couple of projects together was different than my day-to-day activities. When I returned home, I was refreshed and ready to “Take the Next Indicated Step” – see my blog on the next indicated action here. I experienced, the power of the pause!
How about you? When was the last time you felt the power of the pause? Or HALTed? Or that you rewarded yourself with time away? Maybe you don’t believe you can afford the time or money or that you deserve it – let’s talk! Hit reply or call me here and we’ll figure it out.
There is a solution for a break for everyone. Let’s discover it together.
‘til the next time.
Ciao,
Sheri
P.S. Hitting the pause button sometimes takes courage. If you need a compassionate ear with possible solutions, schedule a call with me here.
