My First Step is Not to Step

The first and most vital step for a person to take each day is not to step. The first step is to Pause.

Be quick, but don’t hurry.

~John Wooden

After He had sent them away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone. -Matthew 14:23

Being Appreciative with Goodness because people and situations can move very quickly throughout a day – I can get caught off guard as soon as a few seconds if I do not prepare my mind for action. My emotions may control me instead of me controlling them.

Like many of you, I have been in many leadership roles throughout my lifetime, some not always by choice. For me, in many ways, I embraced my role, and it gave me a lot of energy and joy. However, there have been times when I did not want to have to carry the baton, and I resisted it. Similar to what Jonah had done to God, I too had run away or tried to change my circumstances. I am not proud of this, nor had I even fully realized my doing so until I took the time to slow down and reflect – Pause.

There are multiple ways when Being Appreciative with Goodness to Pausing has positively impacted my life. Below are a few ways how:

1. Pausing felt like I was trying to slow down a rollercoaster. Put on the breaks, put away phones, computers, podcasts, T.V., and slow my mind down. It used to be and still can be at times very difficult. I have to focus, dial-in, appreciating the outcome and health benefits of clearing space, and emptying my mind of so much nattering.
2. Pausing has helped me to enjoy doing less, in actuality, enjoying being bored. It has made my life more purposeful, interrupting my thoughts, stopping my actions, and the speed I was moving throughout the day. Decreasing fear and anxiety and enjoying the day more. Emotion coaching our children, friends, family, co-workers on being bored can feel counter-cultural, yet vital to our self-care and living a flourishing life.
3. Pausing helped me examine carefully, discern my purpose – My ‘Why I do what I do,’ ‘Why do I exist,’ and ‘What do I enjoy every day that gets me out of bed energized.’

Jesus models the power of pausing throughout the bible. One time was on the day of the death of John the Baptist. Not only was Jesus grieving John the Baptist’s death, but the crowds also continued to follow him, surround him and he did not push them away. Instead, Jesus was Appreciative with Goodness to His Father. He began healing the sick and feeding the five thousand. Then, afterward, Jesus took time to pause: ‘And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.’ -Matthew 14:23

By Pausing, consciously slowing down, with self-reflection, a person can become more focused and energized.

Taking the time to invest in my Extreme Self-Care is one of the best investments I have made!

Blessings on observing how you step, and your Pausing today!

Sara