I am someone who doesn’t sit still very well.  Can anyone relate?  I am constantly plagued by thoughts of needing to be productive with my time.  And it is tough because I really am quite productive with my time.  Even in the quiet pause moments, I feel I need something to show for that time.  I am sure I am the only one who struggles with this.  Oh wait, no, I am certainly not!  Countless conversations have shown me that this is an epidemic in our society.

We can’t pause well.  We mostly do not have the ability to sit at a red light without being stimulated or entertained.  We can’t stand the uncomfortable few minutes in line at a restaurant or a grocery store without picking up our phone and checking a few emails or pulling up social media.

Is it FOMO? (Fear of Missing Out)  Is it having to be the first to know whatever news is coming down the pipeline?  Or could it be that we are scared of what might happen in the pause?  What might we hear?  What thoughts might pop up?  If we keep ourselves distracted and zoned out on other things, we don’t have to face those thoughts and realizations.

We have lost the pause.  And it is sad.  I observe a lot of behavior in my dental office, and it is a fairly rare person that is able to just sit up while they are waiting to get numb or for me to do their exam that isn’t zoned out on their phone.  And this is just one opportunity for a bit of a pause.  We need the pause.  We need to have the ability to take a few cleansing breaths when we have 30 seconds or five minutes to wait.

Here’s a simple thing to try when you have a chance to pause- first leave the phone securely in your pocket or purse or out of reach.  Then take a nice cleansing breath in.  Then breath out.  Then pause and let the tension in your shoulders and back sink a little.  Then do it again.  Just allow your mind to rest for that short amount of time.

I believe that simple inputs can make a profound difference in how we navigate this life.  This is one simple step towards trying to win the battle over the #falsesenseorurgency and stepping towards #WINtheNOW.  I would love to hear how you handle the pause.  Hit me up via email or social media if you want to share.  We are all in this together!  One life.  One chance.  Our best days are ahead!