The Power of a Pause
In a 12 year US study, people who reported greater emotional suppression had a higher risk of premature death.
It’s an association, not proof of cause, but a powerful reminder that constantly pushing feelings down comes at a cost.
Watch this mini video I recorded last week talking about the profound benefits a pause can bring us To help convert difficult thoughts into useful actions
Pausing Keeps Us Safe
Surgery: the WHO surgical safety checklist includes a formal “time out” before incision to confirm the patient, procedure, site and key risks.
Flying: pilots use pre flight and emergency checklists to slow down critical decisions and avoid acting from memory under pressure.
Formula 1 pit stops: teams build in precise check and confirm routines before releasing the car; leaving a fraction too early can be dangerous.
Rock climbing: partners perform a buddy check of harnesses, knots, belay devices and carabiners before leaving the ground.
The Person We Hope to Be
We all react sometimes in ways that cause pain, impacts relationships or simply makes life harder.
But there is also a calmer, more patient version of us. The person we hope to be is already there.
A pause gives us enough space to notice what we are really feeling, and then process that feeling to find clarity. This clarity empowers us to find the small actions that contribute to what matters most: caring for the people we love, doing high quality work, having the difficult conversation, saying sorry, making the decision we’ve avoided and finding the courage to do what really matters to us.
Sometimes we think we need more advice, another podcast or an evening escaping into TV. Often, what we really need is a high quality pause.
To empower us to respond in a way that reflects our true selves. That person who sometimes gets lost beneath all the busyness and constant doing.
You are a good person, doing your best. That is enough.
“I don’t feel particularly proud of myself. But when I walk alone in the woods or lie in the meadows, all is well.”
—Franz Kafka
This week I enjoyed;
Weightlifting granddad, 88, becomes Tiktok sensation - here
The man clearing gardens for free – and letting light into strangers’ lives - here
Need a hand? Feel alone?
Don’t wait, contact someone today. You deserve support as much as anyone else. You are not alone. Reply to this message if that’s easiest.
Text Shout - 85258 - simple support via text, I used when I wasn’t sure who to turn to
Call Samaritans 116 123 - no problem too small, I’ve used a couple of times, once during a relationship break up, once when one of my family said they were suicidal and I wasn’t sure who to ask for help
NHS Every Mind Matters - simple and effective resources you can access immediately here