It is OK to Pause.

Life rolls on. One day follows another. We make plans. We set goals. We work. We sleep. We dream. We think we have a clear vision of the future, and then the fog rolls in…and there we are. What was once so visible is now shrouded in mist. What we once believed achievable is reduced to a memory. We are left without a clear sight path forward.

I am all about movement. I like to be busy. I like to do things. It is actually difficult for me to take a time out. I operate best with a little bit of stress, so much so I have been known to create a bit of unnecessary stress along the way just to keep things interesting. There are times though, I find myself almost mindlessly pressing on, directionless and forcing things that should probably be left as they are.

There are times when it is most appropriate to just stop and be still. These times seem anti-progressive to one who feels most productive when doing and moving.

Standing on the trail on the side of the mountain in my favorite National Park, watching the roiling misty fog move towards me, knowing the clarity of my path forward was going to be compromised, knowing the change in my circumstances was totally out of my control, I paused. I watched the fog engulf the terrain and surround me. I breathed in the moist cooler air and quietly assessed the change in my world.

It is Ok to pause. Sometimes, events and circumstances overtake and overwhelm us. Our vision of our path forward is clouded over or lost. Going backwards is not possible. Going sideways is not advisable, but our way forward appears blocked. It is time to take a time out. It is time to be still, stop struggling against forces outside our control. We can loosen our grip on our contrived timelines. Life is always teaching us things about ourselves and what we are capable of.

When we pause, we are not done. We are not giving up, or throwing in the towel. We are resting up for the next surge forward. There is no set time for a pause. It is a time to assess where we are, to revise our expectations and reset our path forward. It is a time to refill our tanks, make sure we have all our supplies and the gear we need to progress. It is time to do a bit more research and expand our knowledge and understanding of who and where we are and just what we are seeking to achieve. It is OK to Pause.