Why slowing down became my greatest source of strength
When I First Resisted the Pause
When I was first told I needed to pause, I struggled with the concept. I’ve always prided myself on being productive, responsible, and efficient. To me, pausing felt like the opposite of progress:
- Pause was a soft stop, like a yellow light slowing me down from reaching my destination.
- Pause was a delay, like when you’re engrossed in a movie but someone grabs a snack, forcing you to wait.
- Pause was a void of progress, with only so many hours in a day, shouldn’t I make the most of them?
- Pause was a trap, it felt like it would keep me stuck in the very situations I wanted to get out of.
At that time, pause felt like an obstacle, not an opportunity.
When Curiosity Changed Everything
But my curiosity got the better of me. I decided to stop resisting and experiment with what pressing pause could mean. That’s when everything shifted. I discovered that:
- Pausing isn’t stopping. It’s creating space for inspiration to spark and clarity to come.
- Pausing isn’t a delay. It’s recognizing that external factors are at play and allowing timing to align.
- Pausing isn’t a void of progress. It’s an opportunity to hear your inner voice and notice what the universe is opening up for you.
- Pausing isn’t keeping you stuck. It’s helping you gain the insight to place yourself in the right situations.
What I once saw as wasted time has now become an important practice for how I live and lead.
Over time, I’ve found different ways to describe what pausing feels like and why it matters. Pressing Pause on your journey can happen in a variety of ways in life’s journey.
This progression mirrors a journey: from the most everyday pauses → to self-awareness → to playful grounding → to growth → to vision → to control and choice.
The Coffee Pause: Whether it’s the warmth of a hot mug in your hands or the refreshment of a cold glass on a hot day, pausing with a drink in handis a simple act of comfort and nourishment. It reminds us to savor the small, grounding moments that carry us through.
The Reflection Pause: Like looking in a mirror or out a window, pausing allows you to see clearly whether it’s your own reflection or a wider horizon. Both offer perspective you’d miss if you rushed by.
The Ocean Pause: A sandbar in the ocean offers not just stability, but also play. It’s a temporary landing spot where you can laugh, splash, or rest before choosing whether to swim forward, shift direction, or return to shore.
The Hiker’s Pause: On a steep climb, stopping before the summit gives you space to appreciate how far you’ve come and gather strength for what’s ahead.
The Summit Pause: At the top, pausing to take in the view lets you see possibilities you couldn’t from below a reminder of what’s possible when you keep going.
The Remote Control Pause: Like hitting pause on a remote, you may not control the entire movie of life, but you can control when to stop the noise and distraction long enough to breathe.
Each metaphor points to the same truth: pausing is not passive. It’s an act of choice a way to regain perspective and move forward with intention.
Why We Created Press Pause
This shift in my own life is what inspired me to create Press Pause. At first, I thought it would be a fun collaboration with my mentor and friend, Hilary Bilbrey. We imagined it as a small add-on to our respective businesses. But as we ideated, researched, and built the curriculum, we realized it was so much more.
Press Pause is not just a program. It’s a lifestyle. Both of us have found ways to pause in our lives, personally and professionally, in order to create joy and peace without losing our edge. We wanted to create a space for others to experience the same.
Through this work, I’ve also realized who Press Pause is really for. My ideal participants are not just “anyone.” They are people with a learning mindset, those who want to live fulfilling lives, take responsibility for growth, and accept that growing pains are part of the journey. They are people who want to overcome obstacles in order to live lives of deeper meaning and impact.
This program is designed for people who want to grow together in an inclusive environment where we share insights, offer inspiration, and support each other along the way
Living While Working
One of the biggest lessons I’ve taken from pressing pause is this: life isn’t something that happens after work. It’s not about finding a balance between work and life, or integrating these two things. Rather it’s about embracing that joy, alignment and possibilities all become amplified when we pause to notice that
we are living while we are working.
Pressing pause helps us see whether we’re living in alignment or just running on momentum. It’s a reminder that how we do what we do matters, and that each of us has gifts to use in service of our purpose.
An Invitation
Pressing pause is not weakness, laziness, or avoidance. It’s power. It’s the sandbar in the middle of the ocean, the remote in your hand, the breath on the climb, and the view from the summit. It’s how we stop running on autopilot and start living and leading with clarity, joy, and impact.
That’s why I created Press Pause: a six-month journey for leaders and seekers who want to reset, reflect, and move forward with intention.
If you’re ready to give yourself that space, I’d love for you to join us.
Our first cohort is launching soon in partnership with Unveiled: Bridging the Gap. You can learn more and sign up through the link.
