From One Professional to Another: PAUSE

In the midst of chaos… PAUSE.  From the moment we wake up, we are busy thinking and doing. From the 8-hour workday with back-to-back meetings, to caring for of our children, both men and women are multi-tasking chaos on an every-day basis.  No wonder why we feel stressed, frenzied and burnt-out. We wear ourselves out, filling our day with tasks that seem like they have to get done or else…. What I want you to hear today is not to drop all the responsibility (although that’s an option too.)  Right now, adopt some life-giving power through stillness:  I ask you to PAUSE.

Today, try this once. Tomorrow, try this twice.  And then press repeat.  Create a moment of silence between what you are doing and the actuality of being awake and present for it. Stop for just a few seconds and take 3 big breaths. Become aware of your breath and how it feels going in and out of your lungs. It will feel uncomfortable, even for the seasoned yogi. Stillness causes us to be fully with ourselves when our mind and body want to run away.  And that is exactly why it’s so good for us too.The deeper the breaths the better the health benefits.

Pause before you roll of out bed and find one thing in your life to be grateful for before you begin your busy day.

Pause before you leave the house.  Be fully present when you kiss each and every family member good-bye.

Pause before you step into the office and set an intention for the day:  “I will smile at each one of my co-workers in passing today, even the one that never smiles back;” or “I will be mindful of how I am treating the employee that seems to tug my nerves.”

Pause before you check your Facebook page every 30 minutes and ask yourself “What are you looking for?”

Pause before you eat dinner and be thankful for the nutritious food you are fueling yourself with.

Pause before you reprimand your kids- find compassion and humanity in their actions.

Pause before you answer the phone and put a smile on your face. It will reflect in your tone.

Pause, take a deep breath and become present to the chaos.  Because it’s not chaos, it feels like it, but when we are present for it, it’s called life.

Why PAUSE?  When you pause, you become fully present to your current action and thought and how they affect your happiness at that exact moment.  Ask yourself if you are creating a positive effect or negative effect to yourself and the world.  Pausing at first can feel a little uneasy because we have created habits that keep our mind at full capacity. But when you can consciously remove some of the negative mind chatter, there is other nurturing energy in your mind that wants to play– like love, gratitude and compassion — that can get covered by our active, and sometimes negative, mind. With practice and mindfulness, it becomes easier and the benefits are enormous.  You will see positive change!

GET STARTED.  IT’S SIMPLE.  In whatever you are doing, pause and take 3 conscious breaths.  It will begin to become a habit your body welcomes with warmth.  That warmth of kindness opens the heart and begins to reflect in your actions toward other people and the world.

Try it today. Practice it tomorrow. The world will reap the benefits.