We are at the six-month marker of 2021. Halfway through the journey of achieving those goals we set for ourselves at the start of this year. Today I am going to share a little secret about the power of pause right now, at this time of the year, in your life. What I am sharing with you today is actually going to fuel you with the power you need to keep making strides towards hitting that impossible goal you intend on achieving by the end of this year.
To kick this episode off, I am going to be completely forthcoming with all of you. This year I have let go of a few of my power of pause practices because I was “too busy” focusing on my goals, telling myself the lie that I don’t have the time to pause. Instead, I have been incorporating some new practices that have given me newfound gratitude for my body and the messages it sends me that I typically ignore by staying in my head. I have been practicing and preparing a new level of breakthrough for my AwakenYou program that incorporates getting out of our heads and into what the body is telling us. I have always known the power of the body, but in the past, it was more about using my head to power through, which ultimately leads us to fall short of the goal that is possible for us.
I’d love for you to think of a time when you knew you needed time off, you felt it in your body, but instead, you ignored your body and used your mind to keep pushing forward, promising yourself when you get to the next step you’ll take a break. Lie, lie, LIE. Then what happens? Your body takes over the show and forces you into a pause. Really think about a time that this happened in your life, go there and visualize it, think about how it felt when you were “stuck” mending your body, waiting for it to heal so you could get busy with those goals. Then, of course, not using the pause to learn and grow but instead diving in when your body starts to set you free to see how you will practice the pause moving forward.
I just experienced this last week. I came off of a week up at my brother’s cabin for my birthday. I was afraid to take even a whole day off, “my business is depending on me” were the thoughts I was hiding behind. I came home from a stunning week, my body not feeling quite right, and using my new practice, I focused on listening to the signals my body was sending. It was loud and clear; you are sick, and it’s time to let go and let God. So I did. I let a throat and ear infection ride its course and honored their reasons for being there; they were looking after me, teaching me the power of the pause.
The body knows, and I am so grateful for that and am softening into the practice of listening with a pearl of newfound wisdom as I share the steps I am taking in my practice of the pause. I’d love for you to join me and share your experience. Together let’s honor our dreams to reach goals that could never be achieved without this practice. Let’s recommit to the goal we are completing over the next six months, the future we will create for ourselves, and the marriage we love coming home to.
If you struggle with taking time for yourself, make this a short practice to start; I’m starting with one day; maybe you give yourself a half-day and then ask yourself how to create space for a full day the next quarter. Grab yourself a notebook and pencil to take notes and decide right now what day you will practice the pause with me. Commit. Write it on the calendar and honor your commitment. Me? I’ll be doing mine this Friday, and yes, my brain is already making excuses about how this is not going to work out but I’m willing to listen and hold that fearful child while I move forward and do it anyway.
The first step to the power of pause is writing an achievement list
Schedule thirty minutes at the start of your scheduled day to write down all of the things you have achieved this year. ALL of the things, regardless of whether they apply directly to your planned goal or not.
- All of the uncomfortable conversations you have planned and followed through on
- All of the adventures you have planned with your partner and followed through on
- The impossible goal you have written down and the steps you have taken to move towards achieving it
- The time you have taken to do your daily practice of examining your thoughts and planning how you will thin out those that are anything but useful
Look through each month/week/day of this year so far and remember. The way I remember is by writing them down every single day. I daily write down at least three things I made happen that day; some days, it is getting out of bed. From these daily achievements, I collect the ones that stand out and make me proud of my daily work.
Secondly, take a look at that impossible goal you set for 2021
Take fifteen minutes to revisit that impossible goal and all of the mini-goals you set to get there. No condemnation. No judgment. No should haves.
- If you’ve already achieved them then high five yourself! Could you reset your goal for something bigger?
- If you “haven’t” achieved them ask yourself how all of the achievements from the first step have moved your needle forward allowing you to get closer to your goal.
Step Three is to review and renew your commitment and compelling reason
Take fifteen minutes to look at your commitment and the compelling reason that you set for yourself. Recommit and decide if you need to make your compelling reason more compelling. If you haven’t ever written out a commitment and compelling reason for your goal achievement, I have a worksheet just for you, grab it here. (share document to mailing list sign up)
Visualize your completion of your goal
Take fifteen minutes to write about what your life will be like when you reach your stretch goal for this year; how will you feel? What are your weeks and weekends like? Describe them in detail. How do you interact with your partner? What are you doing on a day to day, week to week basis? How will you start living into that person now? Create your vision so you can start living into who she is and looking to her for advice when things feel hard.
Lastly, download strategies you will implement to finish strong
This is a fun contemplation exercise where you get to let go and allow yourself to dream big.
- Start by asking yourself a question, “What strategies will I take to reach my goal of having a fun, joyful, loving marriage?”
- Do a 5-10 minute contemplation, set a timer, where you empty your brain and focus on your senses. Don’t think about your goal and how you will achieve it. When you notice yourself in your brain thinking, come back to your breathing, touch, sight, or other senses.
- After your contemplation, ask yourself the question again and allow yourself to free-write ideas. Fill a page with any ideas that come to your mind, yes, especially those that sound stupid and ridiculous.
- Pick at least five out of your list to implement; for more ideas of implementing and following through, check out this post: (link to goal setting article).
Now about the implementation
Take these five steps and spread them out throughout the day you have set aside. Schedule them on the calendar or a piece of paper, plan your success. Pay close attention to what comes up for you when the time comes for you to take the next step; expect your brain to come up with other “more fun” ideas instead of what you planned. Visualize and think about how you will feel when you follow through on what you planned on doing and then do it anyway, no matter how uncomfortable you feel.
In between these five steps, you will plan something fun, something that lights you up and takes you away from thinking about your goals and where you are right now with them. Singing, dancing, cooking, swimming, gardening, running through the sprinkler, doing cartwheels, biking, laying in the sun, reading a chapter in a silly book, buying a coffee or tea at a cafe you have meant to visit. Whatever it is that fills your heart with joy, do it, and then dive into the next step.
I highly suggest no media on this day to increase the power of your pause.
I am doing mine this Friday. Let me know when you are doing yours, and let’s share in the energy and power we are creating. Maybe you want to do it with me; we’ll send each other powerful, dream-building vibrations. Then I want to hear how it went for you because you know I will be sharing my experience with you!
I am a life coach who works with individuals to break down relationship barriers by awakening their true self. My process isn’t about changing your partner, it’s about discovering who you are so that you can AwakenYou in your marriage. If you’re ready to take your life and your love relationship to the next level then schedule your program inquiry call today and let’s decide together if this is your next step to creating the life you’ve been dreaming of.
