The definition of pause is to stop temporarily. I truly believe pausing is a learned behavior and something that doesn’t come naturally to us, strong-willed people. When I surrendered almost two years ago from a lifestyle (where I overdid a lot– working, drinking, thinking. that nearly killed me)– pausing was one of the tools I picked up. Along with pausing came the willingness to slowly respond to a situation rather than rush and react.
I think as a society we have let go of so many ideals like this due to our own selfishness, self-will, and pride. We have an upcoming generation with the world at their fingers, running wild.
But a lot of good comes from pausing and patience.
- It builds our character. We can’t be who we are meant to be if we are constantly running. Pausing forces us to stop and process, and become better in how we show up for life. It all keeps us from reacting in our feelings or emotions, which brings me to the next point.
- We learn to let things go. Pausing has helped me to let go of circumstances easier. Giving it over to God or just realizing the importance of it in the scheme of life once I stopped reacting right away made my life much more peaceful. My emotions no longer have a hold on me like they used. Reacting quickly due to emotional turbulence is not healthy. Let’s take a step back and be conscious to who or what we are responding to.
- Grateful. I’ve never regretted a pause. If anything it brings me back to that gratitude practice that was discussed in my last article.
A reaction is instant. It’s driven by the beliefs, biases, and prejudices of the unconscious mind. When you say or do something “without thinking,” that’s the unconscious mind running the show. A reaction is based in the moment and doesn’t take into consideration long term effects of what you do or say. A reaction is survival-oriented and on some level a defense mechanism. It might turn out okay but often a reaction is something you regret later. – Matt James, Psychology Today
Let’s teach the next generation how to pause, pray and make mindful decisions rather than making emotional decisions when something sets us off.
Next time you’re feeling funky or something doesn’t go your way I challenge you to pause. Feel free to leave a comment on how it worked for you too!
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”- Romans 12:2
Originally seen on LinkedIn, here.