Welcome to The Pause, dear friend. Come on in and make yourself comfortable.
My daughter just went back to school on Monday after having two weeks off for summer, and man, it was the best.
I had so much fun getting to know her as the little person she is today versus the last time she had an extended break, and I’m riding high off of some serious mommy-daughter love.
The break also gave me some space to get strategic and think more about what I’m building here, and ultimately led me to make the changes I emailed you about last night.
I’m excited about this next phase, and I appreciate you being here for the ride.
Today we’re gonna take a moment and focus on choosing to make time for what makes us feel good.
Settle in, take a deep breath, and get ready to pause in 3…2…1…
🚶🏻♀️Tuesday Mornings
On Tuesday mornings, I routinely walk my daughter up the stairs to school and watch as she runs into her teacher’s arms for a morning hug.
I pause to soak in her joy, turn around, and then — as I descend down the stairs and into my day — I ask myself,
Should I go for a walk today or should I just go home?
This question seems easy, right?
Who wouldn’t choose to go for a walk if they had the choice?
But alas — even with this seemingly easy question — there I am every Tuesday, contemplating whether a walk is really a responsible choice given just how much there is to do.
Right foot.
I should go.
Left foot.
Nah, I have too much to do.
Right foot.
But I always feel so much better after.
Left foot.
Yeah, but I don’t really feel like it right now.
(And on and on until I reach my car and either grab my coffee and go for a walk or slide into the driver’s seat and peel out while the guilt of choosing not to go for a walk consumes me.)
Mostly joking aside, it’s not bad when I choose to go home without going for a walk first.
By the time I’m in the front door, I’m off — stepping into my to-do list like a cozy pair of slippers and racing to cross as many things off as I can before pick-up (like the sweet lil’ Type-A person I am).
But on the Tuesdays when I choose to go for a walk?
Well, I get some of this:
, and this:
, and even this a little bit of this:
And while, yes, the air is sweet and the views are breathtaking, what I find myself most in awe of is just how much my perspective transforms from the moment I start walking to the moment I finally find my way back to my car.
I’ve gone into my Tuesday morning walk spun up about how much I have to do. I’ve gone into it irritated and offended by life’s audacity to not go according to my plan. I’ve even gone into it obsessively aching over how the hell to create a safe and secure environment for my daughter to grow up in when the world itself feels so unsafe and insecure.
And without fail, no matter what I walk in with — anxiety, heartbreak, befuddlement, disappointment, anger, overwhelm, you name it — I walk away feeling better. Less stressed. Less irritated. Less concerned about those things which I cannot control. More focused. More centered. More adaptable and ready to take on whatever life throws at me.
But — even with all that upside — I still choose not to go sometimes.
There is something equivalent to my Tuesday walk conundrum in your life.
Maybe it’s making time to move your body before navigating your Sisyphean inbox. Maybe it’s dedicating time to your hobbies instead of mindlessly scrolling on your phone. Maybe it’s prioritizing a good night’s sleep over the next episode of the new show you’re obsessed with.
Whatever it is, you know what to do to make yourself feel good — it’s just a matter of making the time.
⏸ Pause & Reconnect
**Get curious. Have fun. There are no right or wrong answers; just what’s true for you.**
What’s something that makes you feel good after you’ve done it?
How can you make time for it in the next week?
As a parting gift, please enjoy this clip of Ariana Grande’s best friend reacting to Ariana singing in the car with “take a break.”
Cracks me up.
Have a great couple of weeks. Choose to do something that makes you feel good. And for those of you with paid memberships, I’ll see you Sunday. 🖤
~ L