Aha! Moment Monday
Do you ever wish you could simply pause the world from spinning or keep the clock from ticking long enough to give you a few moments to catch up?
Kiky, my business advisor at the bank, and I recently shared strategies on what we do when we have more tasks and demands than time to tend to them. We talked about focus and preparedness and delegation and agreed that even on those days when we’re sharp with our efforts and have a handle on our schedule, an urgent, unexpected matter appears out of nowhere counteracting our best laid plans. We admitted that some days we feel rested and easily dance to whatever music is playing. Other days it feels like we’re just chasing, moving from one issue to another, without even noticing the scenery on our journey.
Terry Hershey writes in his book, The Power of Pause, “While waiting for perfect, we pass on ordinary. While waiting for better, we don’t give our best effort to good. While waiting for new and improved, we leach the joy right out of the old and reliable.”
In theatre, a pause can have as much impact as a line itself. Have you ever been to a play or even a presentation when your mind might be wandering then everything and everyone goes quiet? Do you pay better attention after the pause?
We’re almost afraid to pause, though, thinking we might “lose” time but how effective are we about using our minds and our hearts when we’re demanding that we perform beyond our resources? How frequently, and for how long, can we dig deep?
Aha! ~ A pause “….means we care for ourselves enough to take some time to reflect and rejuvenate.” Brene Brown
Now pauses come in all shapes and sizes. Mini pauses are brilliant when you’re about to say something you might regret. A longer pause is likely warranted after an exhaustive merge, move, change or loss.
This part is important: you don’t need to be on overload to deserve or reap the benefit of a pause.
“Take the time to pause, regularly, whether feeling optimistic and “on a roll,” or feeling sad and wounded” writes clinical psychologist Dr. Mara Karpel
Decide today to take a page from Shakespeare and insert a few deliberate commas in your life script.
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