3 Useful Time Tips That Will Give You a Powerful Pause

It’s that point in the year when people are wondering, “Where has the time gone?”  I’m thinking the same thing. I don’t know about you, but to me, it feels like wearing my winter coat and setting New Year’s intentions were only moments ago. Yet here we are in the first week of June. It’s delightfully warm, the spring flowers are blooming, and the time has whooshed  by. The thick layers have been stored away. My first of the year intentions have born some delicious fruit. The changes happened in what feels like the blink of an eye.

One thing that’s useful to do, especially when you’re at a midpoint, is to take a pause. It’s like a taking a breath, only with time. Use your break to look backward, look forward, and then refocus on now. With the mindfulness meditations that I practice, there is an emphasis on being here now. The idea is that if we spend too much time in the past or the future, we miss the present. While I understand that concept and strive to be more present, there are times when I find it beneficial to reflect on the past and to think about the future. It’s possible to do this in the context of living now. Drawing on your history and making plans about the future enable you to live more fully in the present.

Time includes the past, present, and future. While we live in the now, we have arrived here because of choices we’ve made and the experiences we’ve had in the past. We live in the now, yet have aspirations and hopes for the future. Those wishes influence the actions and thoughts we focus on today.

We can take a reflection pause at any time- the middle of the day, month, or year. I encourage you to take a midyear pause now. Below I provided you with some questions to get your thoughts flowing. Other ones may surface. I’d love to hear what comes up for you.

3 Time Tips for a More Powerful Pause . . .

The Past

When you think about this year so far, what stands out? What have you noticed with the intentions or goals you set? Have you been surprised by the outcomes? Do you want to keep doing what you are doing? What strengths have emerged? What habits do you want to stop? What are you grateful for? Have you experienced any challenges that were fertile ground for learning? What have you learned? 

The Future

Is there anything you want to course correct? Are there any commitments you made that you want to release from your full plate? Do you have a goal or intention that you want to revise? What change do you want to make by the end of the year? Is there something you need more of? Is there something you want less of? Is there a new habit you’d like to incorporate?

The Present

How have past decisions influenced your current experience? Where do you want to focus your attention? How do your future goals affect your daily living? Are thoughts about the past or future negatively affecting your present? What will help you live more fully in the present? What is a present day “must” or “can’t live without?”

While time doesn’t stop, we can take a deep breath in and exhale slowing as lean in for a thoughtful pause. There are times when we keep going without doing a deep dive or analysis. However, it’s beneficial to stop every so often to examine, question, continue and refocus. We look back and ahead, yet we live in the now.

Do you take pauses? When do you like to make them? What questions do you ask? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Join our conversation!