The ability to fly.

Every single time.  That was my answer.  How would you answer the superpower question?  If you could have any superpower in the world, what would you choose? I always chose the ability to fly.  I wonder if that had something to do with why I became a pilot?

It would be truly amazing to be able to fly…

To just be able to go from standing to flying instantly. I certainly didn’t consider the logistics of being able to fly- how cold the air is at altitude, getting bugs in my face and eyes, hitting birds, all of that stuff.  But no one considers that when given a choice to pick a free superpower. Details, details.

So which one did you choose?

Invisibility? Shape-shifting? Super-human speed? X-ray vision? Teleportation?  It’s kind of fun to imagine, right?  I have always been a fan of dreams, even if this is truly just a quick daydream. But whether you choice is amazing strength, disappearing in plain sight, having the mind of all minds, or bending time, let’s be honest.  It just ain’t gonna happen.  Let’s bring that dream back to reality.

But what if I told you…

You can have a free super-power.  One that has the ability to prevent fights, restore relationships, prevent hurtful words from being uttered, and bring some shalom to your life.  Would you take me up on it?  Would you raise your hand and say I want some of that! And even better- what if I told you it was free?

Here’s the superpower…

The free, no-obligation, superpower is… drumroll… the pause.  Those who have been around me for awhile have heard me mention the pause before, but I wanted to share how I have seen it work so that you can use it in your life as well.

Think about it…

The next time a situation is starting to accelerate and tensions are getting high, you have a choice.  You can fire back a response that might not be well thought out, or you can pause, take a deep breath, compose your thoughts, and respond from a place of calm.  The next time someone fires a comment on social media that gets your blood boiling, you can pause.  Take a deep breath.  And measure your response from a place of reasonable thinking.

The next time…

You are at a traffic light, instead of picking up your phone, you can pause, take a deep breath, and just observe the world around you or be thankful for the chance to be alive.  When a family member says something hurtful and you are tempted to react out of a place of escalation, you can pause, take a deep breath, and say something that doesn’t send the relationship even further south.

The pause may even…

Make you realize that what you really need is to just remove yourself from the situation so you can respond later from a place of reason.  Pause and respond to the escalated email later when you have had time to process.  Pause and gather your thoughts and send an appropriately worded text in response.  Ask for help with wording if needed.

Pause before…

You go to bed.  So you can be thankful for a few things that happened during the day.  Pause in the line at the grocery store and take a few deep breaths.  Pause as you walk between meetings and give your brain a little time to idle and refresh. And schedule a few pauses in your day to decrease that frantic feeling that chases you around.

Ask yourself this question…

How could I incorporate pauses into my life to prevent reactivity, hurtful responses, or just to create a little white space in my day?  We are all so busy and the pause is a great way to push our busyness back a little.  A pause can be five seconds, a few minutes, an hour, a day, or a weekend.  I am writing this from a 3-day pause in Phoenix.  It has been magical and I am feeling energized for a busy season coming up.

If you are struggling with how to incorporate the pause…

Join us at the WINtheNOW Gathering on April 12 in West Des Moines.  It wails be a great day to take a deep breath and step away from the routine as usual.  And it is a Friday, so it will be a perfect way to kick off the weekend.  But no matter what you choose, find ways to incorporate the pause.

One last idea…

A favorite way to pause and reset for me is listening to a favorite song.  I turn it on, close my eyes, and just breathe.  The reset I get is off the charts.  Here is one I have been really enjoying lately.  Let the lyrics wash over you and just feel the rest and reset.  Whatever you do this week, I hope you will truly embrace the great superpower of the pause.