The power of a pause
As I watched Simone Biles make history as the first woman’s gymnast to win two Olympic all-around titles in non-consecutive games, I could not help but think about how courageous she was for taking a pause on her career. In a time when she was the best in the world, she put her mental health over expectations of others. She hit pause because she needed to and look what happened. She not only came back to reach the level she was at prior to the pause but she excelled beyond it, making history.
This summer, as you know, I hit pause. I needed a few weeks to reset and get ready for what’s next. It’s been 6 years since I made the pivot to the current path I’m on; I had quit my job with no prospects of what was next - which was very scary - but I knew it was time for something new. Now, 6 years later, I find mind-self in a similar yet very different situation. I am ready for what’s next, except this time I know exactly where I’m going.
Yesterday morning as I was deciding what I would post coming out of this break, I was in a service celebrating my friend’s mother who had died just a few weeks prior. She was a woman devoted to her faith and so throughout the service there were many Bible verses read, but one in particular stood out to me from Romans:
“We have different gifts… if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach, if it is to encourage, then give encouragement…”
The woman we were there celebrating I did not have the pleasure of knowing, but I wish I had. As I listened to all her friends and family share memories about her gifts for hospitality and welcoming people into her life, I just thought wow, now that’s a woman who was doing exactly what she was supposed to be doing. She knew what her gifts were, and she leaned into them.
The reason I hit pause is because a few months ago I realized that I was not doing what I was supposed to be doing. I was in a way, but only part time. I had the majority of my time focused on one thing while this very big part of me only got the scraps of my life. It is for that reason that on Monday of last week, I gave my two weeks’ notice.
Taking breaks, hitting pause, and making shifts in our life are not easy. By definition it is a decision that goes against the current you're in. To stop in the middle of a flow takes effort, but what is gained is well worth it especially when our current is taking us in the wrong direction. For me, I was in the wrong current. For Simone Biles, she just needed a break. Whatever is needed for you, be sure you are taking time to regularly hit pause and reset. When you are stuck in a strong current the slightest shifts in your trajectory, or short breaks to recharge, can make all the difference on where you end up.
