Practice the pause

 I have to admit right now that I do not always do this, practice the pause.  I will say that I have gotten a million times better over the years as my mouth used to get me in trouble!  With age, you learn that some things are not worth a reaction, a response, or any of your attention.  I have found that having peace is more important than being right and you learn to choose your battles wisely. 

In my marriage, I have learned to practice the pause a lot more than I did at the beginning of my marriage.  Sean and I communicate very differently, by differently I mean, I have all of the words, feelings, and emotions and he usually looks at me like I am crazy! I have to pause, regroup and decide what is the most effective way of communicating.

Think about how you react to people at work.  Are you easily triggered by certain co-workers?  Do things upset you that are out of your control?  Practice the pause.  Ask yourself is this really worth my time and energy?  We get so caught up in things that steal our peace that we shouldn't be wrapped up in any way. 

How about with your kids?  Our kids know how to push our buttons almost as well as our spouses or significant others do.  Before you react and respond in a way you are apologizing for later, practice the pause.  Are you in the right mind space to get your point across without complete frustration? 

I have to practice the pause any time I have to make a Walmart run.  I literally sit in my car and pause and sometimes pray.  Nine times out of ten I do not have the best experience and I do not want to lose my cool.  I don't want my street persona to make an appearance, Jacqueen can get testy! 

All jokes aside, pausing before reacting has saved me from arguments, kept me out of unwanted drama, and helped me keep my peace as it could have easily gone in a negative direction if I would have reacted before pausing. 

This is not an easy thing to do but I challenge you to practice the pause.  Try it at home, work, or out in public when you feel a quick reaction coming over you.  If you are a yes person and are trying to say no more, practice the pause.  Simply say I will have to get back to you if you have a hard time saying no.  That is another thing that comes with age and experience, I have no problem saying no.  It is so freeing!

Protecting your time, mental health, and peace is so very important.  Practice the pause, I guarantee you, you will be better for it. Be BOLD!