’ve been thinking about the power of pause as 2025 winds down. The power of taking a beat, of those four deep breaths in and out before you respond to your colleagues’ snide comment or your spouse bringing up that same old argument for the millionth time. The power of stepping away from making that major life decision to settle in with a cup of tea and listen to what your body is telling you about the best choice.
Pausing gives us time to move out of the reactive space, where our emotions rule the day. It allows us to shift into the responsive space, where we make thoughtful, well-considered decisions. The pause may be brief or lengthy – the power of the pause isn’t found in its duration. It lies in the space it creates to feel and release an emotional reaction to a situation before taking action or responding. Our initial emotional reaction might inform us, but the pause ensures it doesn’t take the driver’s seat.
At the beginning of 2025, I set an intention to pause when I feel emotionally charged and ask myself three specific questions:
1. Does my initial reaction have any bearing on the reality of the situation, or is my emotional baggage taking over?
2. Do I have all the information I need before moving into response or action?
3. Is this even my problem or situation to respond to or solve?
I give myself 5 to 10 minutes to physically write out the answers to those three questions, tangibly shifting myself from the reactive to the responsive. This allows me to respond (if I respond at all) based on what I know is true, rather than on assumptions or stories I’m telling myself. This moment of pause, connected with the physical action of writing out my answers, reminds me to bring critical thinking to the party.
The results of this practice of pause have been significant:
- I’m able to navigate emotionally charged personal and professional interactions more thoughtfully and calmly.
- I’ve stopped responding to rage baiting social media and news posts; electing to fact check or simply scroll on by.
- I was able to release my saviour complex.
What might shift for you if you embraced the power of pause in your life?
