Press Pause (this is a video on this topic if you prefer watching something instead of reading)

I choose to pause.

I say choose because pausing does not come natural in our busy, over scheduled, frantic, productive, crazy lives.

I am learning it takes serious will power and discipline.

Pausing for me takes place in 2 primary ways:

1.  I choose to pause when I begin to feel rushed, anxious, stressed or like when I’m unraveling.  I know in that moment I can buckle down and push ahead but that only builds the tension in my heart and body or I can give myself like a time out. One of my stress triggers is having a full busy schedule so I need lots more pausing when we are busy.  Later in the post I will share an example how I did this the other morning.
2. I choose to pause at specific times throughout my day. I want to pause whenever I feel stressed but I also want to have this life giving practice as a regular part of my day.  I want to have it as a spiritual discipline that strengthens my soul.  So many things in life are out of our control.  We can only control our response to things.  I believe having this as a practice will help me to respond better to what comes my way.  This post describes the times to pause.  But whatever works for you.  Try just setting your timer for 5 minutes every day to be still outside.  The 7 times that many monks/nuns practice are sunrise, midmorning, lunch, mid afternoon, sunset, bedtime and then middle of the night.  I can’t forsee middle of the night one for me. 😉

Practical Steps to Pause:

• FIND A QUIET PLACE: Outside is the best therapy for my soul.  If you have little ones and it is not nap time, perhaps a bathroom (sitting on the toilet lid) right after you have introduced a new toy or a tub of toys they have not seen in awhile.  You may get a few minutes of them being distracted.  Or it may be off to the side in a chair facing outside.
• STOP:  Things need to stop.  All forward motion, productivity needs to stop.
• BE STILL:  Try to allow your body to relax. I have now made a pausing place inside if its cold.  It is a comfy chair and padded footstool in my bedroom.  I am working on not piling it with laundry and junk.  It has 2 pillows (one for the small of my back and the other to go under my knees) and it has 2 books (7 Sacred Pauses and Day by Day) that help me focus and be still.
• QUIET YOUR MIND:  I start my pausing with 2 minutes (at least) of silence.  I set my phone timer and silence my phone and resist checking it when it vibrates.  During that time I try not to think on all I have to do but on things I am grateful for or I just soak in the beauty of creation all around me.  Sometimes after the 2 minutes I will read some from one of those 2 books.  I hope to buy some more prayer books,