You Can’t Be Happier, Healthier, or Calmer Without Doing This First

Today I am sharing the simplest activity that can change so much about your day. Your mood, your patience, your productivity, your happiness, and your relationships…it’s all on the table. Check out the video below for the quick tip, and start using it today!

Question: When was the last time you sat back, paused, took a deep breath, and did nothing?

If you can’t remember the last time you did that, we’ve got a problem.

I firmly believe that pausing is one of the most important things you can do for your mental and emotional health. Decisions are healthier when they come from an intentional, grounded place. When you pause, it allows your brain to take inventory of where you are. This helps your next step be more thoughtful, informed, and helpful.

Imagine how hard it would be to read a book that had no punctuation marks. It would be confusing! Things would run together, you’d lose your place repeatedly, and you’d probably have to read the same thing over and over just to make sense of it. It would be a jumbled mess!

Yet that’s totally what happens to your brain when you don’t pause, slow down, and make a tiny moment of space for yourself.

We are so busy going from one thing to do next, that we get caught in this frenzied pace. We think we have to go go go all the time.

You can’t make healthy decisions when you’re always rushed and pressed for time. You can’t be calm if you don’t stop to rest for ten seconds. And you can’t be happier or more present in your relationships if you don’t slow down before engaging in them.

You need to make time to pause, sit, and be still.

Sure, you can get through your day without taking this pause. But your day will go so much better if you make space for it. You will be calmer, happier, kinder, and more thoughtful about almost everything you do.

Yes, it takes a little bit of work to make this a regular habit, but all healthy things do. Work smarter not harder. Challenge yourself to make time and create pockets where you stop, take a breath, pause, and do nothing else. 

In the comments below, tell me one or two places in your daily routine where you’re going to build in a pause. Maybe every time you put your car in park, when you first sit down at your computer, or before you take the first bite of any meal. Decide, commit, and leave it in the comments for that added accountability.

How often do you PAUSE throughout your day? If the answer is not very often, then you need to start building in some small pockets of time to pause.

PS: Curious when the best time to take this pause is? Click here.