An Effective Use of the Pause

There’s a natural impulse to pause between the end of one cycle and the beginning of the next. Like any pause, it allows us to reflect and become more aware of ourselves. Below are two effective questions to use during that pause. But first, about those cycles …

Daily, there’s a distinct beginning and end of the day followed by rest. Our mind-body intelligence knows there are certain times for us to eat, sleep, exercise, work, and play.

Weekly, the standard 40-hour work week is embedded into society for the majority of us. We plan what days of the week we hit the gym and what day we have spaghetti.

Monthly, being influenced by the phases of the moon, our energies get further guidance for sleep, tides, fertility, and paying the bills.

Seasonally, our environment changes from one season to the next in an instant, if we’re paying close enough attention to catch it. A corner is turned with no going back when we change our clothes, diets, and activities.

Yearly, there’s an instinctive force guiding us to slow down, let go, nestle, and make space for something new. It’s more significant, even exhausting, and intentional.

Follow that impulse to pause between cycles and ask these two questions before each day, week, month, season, or year:

What does the world want from me?

What does the world have for me?

Then stop. No need to seek, wonder, guess, or imagine. Don’t toy with the possibilities because our ego, agendas, hopes, dreams, fears, expectations, and past experiences will likely muck it up. Just ask, stay open, and watch what shows up. There’s no greater purpose or meaning in life.