I Paused and No One Called Me On It!

Have you ever sat down to rest and immediately remembered fourteen things you should be doing? Your body finds the comfy chair, and your brain opens another business stream. There’s an email. Something to organize. Perhaps you could listen to an educational podcast while stretching, answering messages and becoming a more evolved person. Apparently, sitting quietly requires a much better explanation than exhausting ourselves.

I love being capable. I love creating, being curious, helping and getting things done. But sometimes I have to ask myself whether I actually want to do the next thing or whether I feel uncomfortable stopping. Those are different feelings.

For me, learning to trust myself has also meant learning that I have value when I am not producing anything. I don’t need a daily completed task list to prove I deserve my place in the world. The people I love don’t have to impress me before I enjoy their company. I don’t ask my grandchildren what they accomplished before deciding whether they deserve a cuddle. Imagine. “Hi tiny angel - how are your quarterly targets?”

So I am experimenting with a pause that has no assignment attached. Thirty minutes outside. A little music. Sitting beside someone I love. No mandatory insight, no plan to emerge with a revolutionary business idea. If an idea arrives, great. If all I notice is a bird behaving like it owns the garden, that is also a perfectly acceptable use of ten minutes and may be a sign!

This week, give yourself a chance to stop before you are completely worn out. See how it feels to leave one small thing for later and enjoy where you are. There will still be plenty to create, learn and contribute. I plan to keep doing all of that. I would also like to get better at sitting in a chair without mentally applying for permission.

- Kim