A Simple Pause

Take a moment of pause today. Pause to notice your breath and the miracle of your life. Pause to notice the beauty of the world around you. Pause to slow down and simply BE.  What is the hurry?  When we stop to pause we allow ourselves space in the present moment to notice and be aware.  There is power in a simple pause. For healing to happen one must pause and rest.  For understanding and clarity one must pause to reflect and possibly study.Consider slowing down more throughout your day and just notice, just Be.  I believe we can find what we need when we take the time.  Time to listen (truly be present and hear), look (be more mindful), express (through words or creative expressions/art) and feel (sense what is happening within you).  Take time to be connected to the world around you, to all life.  Breathe it in.  When we pause we create space to learn and discover, like a child.  Children don’t hurry and anyone reading this with children knows what I mean.  Children are open to the world and they take the time to notice.  So be child like, slow down, pause and take it all in!

85 Comments

  1. Courtney Adkins

    Cortney,
    I like the way you have put this, to just BE. This may be one of my favorite parts of your class where I can just BE. I too am a busy mom and yes, I can agree that children do NOT hurry. Sometimes that alone can frustrate me, but I try to remember that they have no deadlines, no meetings, no time that they alone are responsible for being somewhere. I try to have a few times a day where I can lay still and just breathe. It grounds me and reminds me that I too need to slow down and make time just for me!

    Thank you for being a great instructor!!

    Courtney Adkins

  2. Taylor Preston

    I completely agree with you. Taking time to just pause and reflect is so important for an individual.

  3. Rockie Jo Hill

    I do take moments to pause. Usually when I am upset or overwhelmed with my priorities, I go outside onto my balcony. I close my eyes and listen to the noises that mother nature has to share. Before I return to my crazy day, I like to breath in for three whole seconds and hold it for three seconds. Then i exhale out all of my stress and worries in life. It works wonders!!!! Breathing is a very special gift that most of us take for granted.

  4. Diana Moreno

    Sometimes just BEing can be so hard in the scurry of life. Like Rockie said normally the pausing and breathing happens when i am upset or overwhelmed on the verge of tears. But when I breathe I feel better and I think more clearly. I don’t know how I ever made it without yoga I have learned so much this semester.

    Thank you!

  5. Sarah Rogers

    Cortney, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this post. Being a full-time student, with the studying and stress of school, many times we do not stop to just breath and quiet our mind. To look around us at the beauty and the amazing smells of the flowers. I believe we think if we take time to simply BE, we might miss some time studying. We do not stop and think that actually stopping to breath for a moment may be all we need to get through the day. By the way I really have enjoyed your yoga class and your teaching style. I will continue with yoga not only because of how I feel but because of how connected I am to myself and what my body needs.

  6. Kyla Lenard

    I agree with you, being a college and working I’m always on the go not really having time to just stop, breath and relax. This is something I am going to try and hopefully it works for me.

  7. Val Ratevosyan

    I love this post! And I honestly could not agree more. We are always so wrapped up in our hectic lives that we do tend to forget to let go. Being a full time student and working and trying to squeeze in social time doesn’t give me much time for relaxation. But ever since the first day of class when you thought us what it meant to let it go and breathe I can truly say that life has finally slowed down a bit. Even if for a few minutes. I never thought pausing and just breathing could be so beneficial. Now whenever I find myself stuck in traffic, or in a middle of a difficult situation, I just pause and breath. It might sound silly but hey it helps! Thank you so much for that amazing lesson:)

  8. Shauntel Villarreal

    Professor Phillips,

    This couldn’t have been put any better, I feel. To just BE and have time for yourself daily even if it’s for a short minute. It actually corresponds great with a relationship I just ended because I wasn’t taking time to pause and BE me. I was too busy doing things for him and making sure he was happy and that the relationship was going perfect. I’ve learned you have to be a little selfish at times, although I don’t think focusing on yourself and doing things that make yourself happy is selfish. I have enjoyed this Summer semester being your student and learning to relax and get rid of the everyday stress during class time.

    Shauntel

  9. Mallerie Muston

    I am going to try and take this article to heart because I have a hard time slowing down. I constantly sit in yoga classes or even try to relax thinking about what i could be doing such as studying, chores, etc. I think it is important to just shut your mind down every once and awhile and escape from the rush of every day tasks.

  10. Mallerie Muston

    I need to take this article to heart and slow down. I have a tendency to not even be able to sit still without going over everything I need to get done that day, especially in yoga classes. I need to calm my mind and breath in the moment and relax.

  11. Michelle Romanczukiewicz

    I wish this was easy to do but day-to-day I feel rushed constantly, and if I am not in a rush I feel unproductive. Half the time I don’t even feel present in what I am doing. The closest thing that ever brings me peace to appreciate the world around me is when I read books. A good book at that. One that once I put it down I stare at the world outside and ponder it’s meaning and mystery. It really is such a beneficial thing to take a moment to sit down and breathe; appreciate what’s around you.

    I hope to continue taking yoga so that I can improve myself and control my mind when it wanders. Yoga definitely helped keep my stress levels down this semester in between all my other classes. I have loved taking this class and I am a little sad that the semester is ending. It went by so fast. Thank you for the awesome yoga classes.

  12. Tess Mordecai

    Slowing down every once in a while is an important part of life I think, the problem is that it is easy to say, but hard to live by. Stress can creep up on us so fast without us even knowing how much strain it is causing on our body and minds.

  13. Micah Thomson

    I agree! It seems that everyone is in such a hurry these days, and so much is being missed. By slowing our pace, we will be blessed by what we see, what we experience, and the positive difference it will make in every facet of our lives. A slower pace will bring a calmer sense of self.

  14. Ava Karimi

    I took a few minutes in silence and pause after reading this post , and I am amazed how just the pause and doing nothing for even a minute can be mood changing -! I really need these moments of pauses especially in stressful weeks like this week. Thanks for sharing 🙂

  15. Amber towns

    I really liked this articles, it totally made since too me. Everyone throughout life is always in a huge hurry and rushing to get things done. However, if we just breathe and actually take in every moment and appreciate it.

  16. Alex Grimes

    there is incredible power in simply pausing, taking a breath, and thinking about how beautiful life can be. pausing gives you the moment to enjoy your life and not worry about your troubles bringing with it relaxation and peace of mind.

  17. Lauren Matza

    I can definitely relate with what you said in this article. Being a full time student with three jobs, I don’t get much time to just sit and be. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I did that before I took your class. But I’m really thankful that I was in your class, because it’s really helped me relax a lot. I think during the beginning of the semester the final relaxation part of your class was so hard for me. It was terrible. I just couldn’t lay there and relax and let go. My mind was running constantly and just laying there without doing anything was killing me. But over time it was much easier to just let go. Between work, school, and relationships, it seems like I never have any time for myself. But at least during your class I can do something just for me. I’ll miss being in your class.

  18. Mallory Sain

    I definitely agree and can relate to this article. I never really just sit back and breathe, because I am always thinking about what needs to be done next. Being a full time student and trying to get where I want to be can be really stressful. Sometimes I need to just sit back and realize that I will get through it eventually, it just all takes time. I forget to think about the positive things and I need to learn how to enjoy my time. Even when I am in yoga class, I am still worrying about the next step I have to take and what I need to do. This article reminds me that I really need to let things be and it will happen!

  19. Terry Penh

    Cortney,

    I never realized how important it is to pause and look around until lately. As a student and mom I have always had a very busy schedule. After suffering injuries and being on bed rest I have been forced to stop and notice the world around me. Sometimes I am overwhelmed when I am supposed to be resting because I think about how I keep falling further behind. It’s difficult to allow your body to heal if you keep forcing yourself back into the hustle and bustle. Even when I am physically unable to move around, my mind is still constantly racing and I have to force myself to stop and breathe. I have to make a effort to stop myself and not allow myself to be overwhelmed.

  20. Brittney Carroll

    This is such great advice that I can learn a lot from. With working two jobs and going to school to earn my degree, it feels like I am always on the go with no time to spare and take in the world around me. People do need to time just stop and smell the roses. It helps to keep us from going bananas on a daily basis. I am going to work in time everyday to stop and rest my mind and body. This will probably help me to remain calm and peaceful with the world and people around me.

  21. Jacey

    I need to learn how to do that. Especially trying to get into nursing school, I never take time to breathe. I am always so stressed with class, I actually just took a huge practical and after reading this I took time to breathe and it made me feel so much better.

  22. Brenda Ramirez

    I understand what you meant when you say just pause and Be. We put ourselves in positions where we have have to be workers, students, mothers, bankers, cooks, cleaners, and more all at once. I feel like me personally, I forget who I am and I’m focusing on what I have to do, or who I have to become to just get through the day. It is important to pause and take things, remember who are, we are all beautiful, kind, smart and most of all we are important, so we should not forget about ourselves. I love that you used the analogy of children, my daughter reminds to stop and look at the everyday things, she points out flowers, trees, clouds, butterflies and airplanes everyday, i just hope she never forgets to keep paying them attention.

  23. Ariel Bobo

    It’s easy to relate to this article because everyone knows what It’s like to be undergoing stress and responsibilities and not necessarily having time to relax. Your class is something to loom forward to each week because I know what we are there to do. We are relaxing and strengthening the body and putting aside any worries or stress that I may have. My body seems more flexible and my mind more relaxed. Thanks for an amazing and memorable class!

  24. Evelyn Weaver

    I absolutely love this! It is so important for me to step back and allow myself room to breathe. I get so wrapped up in life and all that it has to offer that I don’t truly appreciate everything to the fullest. When I allow myself the opportunity to stop for a moment it really makes such a difference. Children have a different appreciation for life because they don’t get so wrapped up in everyday things like I do. I really need to start focusing on my daily meditations again and obtain that peace inside that I know I can.

  25. Nicole Montano

    I wish I could show this to my dad without him scoffing at it. He’s very much a do-er, and has a hard time grasping the idea that yoga can be considered a strengthening activity. He’s the type to play tennis until injury, and then some. But this doesn’t apply to just activity, I have a couple of friends who seem to live life very quickly, always getting into crazy situations and many hardships, but I know better: they’re also yogis and climbers and love to sit on big rocks and just soak life in without expectation. Before I started yoga, I would listen to them talk about these moments with envy and admiration, because I could see that they were very collected and together despite their crazy lives. I know now that they have these simple pauses to thank for that.

  26. Ryana

    Words of well advise and wisdom as always from Courtney!..It is always good to have this reminder from an outside source, as it is often forgotten throughout the hectic day. I try to do this everyday, if I ever notice that I am forgetting to do this because (i feel) it is one of the most important things to be done in the day, and should be a requirement-for-living!

  27. joey

    I really couldn’t agree more. I believe it is important to make time each day for self reflection becoming aware of yourself and your surroundings. Although it can be tough at times especially with the hustle and bustle society bestows upon us I for one can never stay true to this rule. I also agree that we must be like children. I believe it is very important to try and see the world through the eyes of a chid. Everything is new and wonderful, extremely interesting and very exciting. A child is constantly absorbing all the knowledge and love around them which is why I believe each child has a greater sense of spirituality than any adult.

  28. Alicia Ishida

    This is something that is very hard for most people to do. We constantly get caught up in our expectations for our day , and we never sit back and relish in the moment. We are truly blessed and majority of the time we never take the time to reflect on how beautiful and amazing life really is. I read this last night and implemented it today. Instead of filling empty moments with meaningless conversations or pointless thoughts I consciously made an effort to just be. I took in my environment thought about my creator and just enjoyed the earth as is it was. Wow what a moment of utter relaxation and clarity. During the brief moments I felt so much stress, anxiety and expectations leave my body. It was just a freeing moment. This is something I am going to try and implement everyday to just enjoy and be thankful for what God has given me and what he created.

  29. Jessica Cox

    This is something I need to practice more. Taking the time to slow down, I am constantly on the go with work. I just need to realize what I don’t get to complete today, I can complete tomorrow.

  30. Jennifer Riggs

    I don’t think I’ve realized how important it is to pause. Today I will take notice of everything around me and reflect on it.

  31. Emily Alvala

    this is so truee.. i was so used to always just getting up and gong. not really paying attention to the facts of am i tired. But now i have to, you have to listen to your body and at times just take things slow. ive learned how to soak in the world around you and what is really happening in it from day to day.

  32. Paulina Witt

    Cortney, I enjoyed reading your blogs, but this must be my favorite. I feel this is one thing I need to work on, I often feel I get caught up with always having my day planned. Now as a daily goal I’m going to start taking in more of my surroundings.

  33. Amanda Bosserman

    As a college student and someone who works with children regularly, I couldn’t agree more. Just taking a moment to breathe is something I need to work on. I love coming to your class because it is a time for me to just BE. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn these lessons.

  34. Sandra Field

    It’s really hard for me to just be sometimes. I have one of those overactive minds, and it seems I must just be addicted to thinking. I’m pretty sure all the inner noise just contributes to my anxiety, but sometimes I just can’t help it. My brain finally got a rest a while ago when I had a daily yoga practice for several years. I’ve gotten away from my practice in the last couple years, because I fractured my vertebrae in a wreck. The noisy mind clutter is back, and it’s a huge indicator to me that I need to get back to my daily practice. Yoga helps me to be present, patient, understanding, accepting, and free of anxiety. I’m really thankful I took your class, because it helped me ease back into yoga and exercise, gently and restoratively. I’ll be continuing my practice after the summer is over, without a doubt.

  35. Alice Heng

    This article is such a great reminder that when I have deal with tough situation or just my own struggles, I need to just BE still. I need to be thankful for all of what I have, and not to complain about anything because there are people out there praying for only 1/100 of what I have. Sometime, just one pause could help me see those who are in need around me. Just one pause, it could change me to be a better person. Just one pause, I can make use of all of my 5 senses to relax and be thankful.

  36. Kimm Miller

    I truly believe we are all so hurried by our lives and the people and agendas of the day that it is hard for most to take any time to be still..This is why I enjoy yoga, it forces me to stop for an hour or more and relax and just be, no thoughts in my mind except to concentrate on poses and that is exactly what my life requires.

  37. Silivanh Phommavong

    I am totally agree with this article that we all need to pause for a moment and reflex our thought and mind and just simply let everything set a side and relax. Being a parent and student at the same time is not an easy thing to do, and I am so glad that I have the opportunity to take this yoga class with you. You had teach me that life isn’t perfect, which is why we all need to pause and think back what we had done wrong and learn from our mistake. I believe If you keep trying and eventually you will reach your goal.

  38. Cathy Green

    As I am finishing up studying for my philosophy final tomorrow and extra credits, I am lying here in bed with my college age daughter talking to her about yoga and she is going to read Awakening the Spine. I just read her this article about Pause. We both agreed that with our busy lives, working and being full time college students, it is imperative that we Pause and just BE! You couldn’t have said it any better. Our lives seem to be on Fast Forward most of the time and I can’t even remember what all transpired during those 12 hours or more. Thank you for reminding me to Pause and take care of myself but also an opportunity to teach my daughter how important it is for her to Pause and BE. To live in the moment and appreciate things in nature around her. To love on the family dog, to hug and snuggle with her mom again before going back to college. (I need that as much or more than she does). Again, thank you for this blog.

  39. Camille Morais

    I agree with this and believe that it is important to take time a breath. With all the hurry and worries of life sometimes people forget to do what gives life to the human which is to breath. So it is important for us to take our time and breath.

  40. Kandice Harlan

    Rather inspirational, in our society today we are taught to go go go nonstop. Yet that is not what our liives should be centered on. Yoga has helped me find my patience. I have had to learn that things take time to breathe and observe, progress is a process. There is nothing wrong with not being able to complete a posture. I’ve learned to attempt it, give myself a rest and the changes happen. Having to wait for the progress is rather exciting because when I do accomplish my goal I feel so successful and can’t help but smile.

  41. Stephanie Shanks

    It is easy to forget to appreciate our surroundings and ourselves in the midst of every day craziness and stress. During this time, many of us are faced with the sresses of the holidays or finals or financial situations. We all need to take the time to slow down and appreciate our surroundings rather than going all of the time and focusing on our stresses rather than blessings.

  42. Billie Nguyen

    I wholeheartedly agree with the fact that slowing down is a must.. Society is so fast paced and rushed, that we forget what is important, and sometimes it can be right in front of us. With the ice storm locking us into our homes for these couple of days, it makes me truly be thankful for all the little things. The heater that runs in our homes, the family we have, the clothing we wear, and the food that we are provided with. Taking a moment to slow down really is hard when our society is based on instant satisfaction, but it is well worth it in the end. It can never hurt to just take a moment and just breath and enjoy life for what it is, whether that is small or big. You are never guaranteed another day, so live your life to its fullest now.

  43. Jade Smith

    I had to use this one today, it really helped relieve some stress i’ve had going on while thinking about how the rest of my week was going to go. It really helped clear the mind and let random thoughts flow through so i wasn’t so focused on stressing about the one thing i’ve been thinking about all day!! I absolutely love this!!! This especially helps for those who tend to get all worked up about something so easily like I do. 😉 It really trains you to live in the moment if you can get yourself to get in the habit of trying to take a simple pause often!! I love this one!!!

  44. Vivian Nguyen

    I completely agree that taking a moment to pause makes a tremendous difference in an individual’s life. It gives us the opportunity to take a breather and appreciate the little things in life for what it truly is. I liked what you said about taking the time listen, be more mindful, express, and feel what is going on around us. I feel like most people fail to take the time to connect with the world and the things that are happening presently. So many people are so wound up in what is happening with others when really, it’s important to focus on yourself and connect with your emotions.

  45. Sarah Gray

    This is something I need to do more often. Being a mom to 2 small children, life can get pretty chaotic and when looking at my kids, I see how simple life could be if we as adults just take a moment to breath and realize that just being can benefit us tremendously.

  46. Courtney Camp

    I completely agree with you on this. Every time you mention this in class, I am so grateful. This is why I truly enjoy your class because I get to focus on just me and relax. Being a full time student with three jobs can get overwhelming at times and I panic. Instead, I need to slow things down and truly enjoy the world around me. I need to continue to go easier on myself and just BE. That is so important. Thank you for reminding me of that.

  47. Lauren Kenny

    This is definitely something that we all need to focus on. Today’s world is so fast-paced and instantaneous. No one seems to pay attention to one another, or to what is going on around them; everyone is focused on where they are headed, not where they are. I love that your class is somewhere where I can pause. A place that I can disconnect from the world and take a minute to breathe and focus my mind on what my mind and body are telling me they needs.

  48. Zainab (Zee)

    I read two other articles, but this one resonated with me the most. I learned valuable things from all, but simple taking the time to stop and reflect is something that I know to do, but simply must put into practice more often. As everyone does, I suffer from a myriad of stresses and problems, but recognizing all the good that I have and how I am not alone in the struggle helps keep me grounded.

  49. Cheyenne Shipwash

    Taking daily pauses in something I have always inspired to to do, but I normally forget or just make up an excuses as to why I don’t have time to sit and think. While I have had these moments before, I wish I could experience them more. Another thing about yoga that brings me down into the now. Having a set yoga schedule I can not make any excuses or say I’m too busy.

  50. Lark Applewhite

    Pausing is something very new to me and was just recently introduced to me. I guess only because my life has always moved faster than I could catch up. Many times over the years I have felt like the time in my life has been carrying me through the river, when I now realize i need to take control of my speed and remember to slow down and enjoy the things that have become common in my life.

  51. emily snelling

    I loved this because life has been so stressful lately and this is just a nice reminder to just breathe. Will be reading this when times get stressful again.

  52. Ansley Pace

    Taking a moment to pause has always been something I struggle with. When I’m anxious I feel like I should just keep moving so I don’t have to think about it. Being in your class I was forced to take a moment to pause and I can actually see the benefit now and will try to incorporate it into my every day life.

  53. Corey Flanders

    Being in college and working a full time job makes me forget the importance of taking a moment to myself on a daily basis. We often forget how lucky we are to be living in this life unless we take that moment to pause. This is definitely something that I don’t do often enough.

  54. Casey Bulldis

    This post made me think about an experience I had yesterday after class. I rushed from class back to McKinney in order to get to a doctors appointment on time. Of course, once I got there, I had to wait for my turn. In the waiting room, I was sitting next to a mom with her baby, who was probably about 6 months old, in his stroller. I watched as the mom fed the baby his bottle, and during this she wasn’t on her phone or watching TV, wasn’t distracted at all like most other parents I notice. She was just staring at this baby with wonder and awe, taking the time she had to just enjoy being near him. Seeing this, I just put down my phone and sat there, occasionally looking over and smiling at this mother with her baby. I took the time to “just notice, just Be,” and it brightened my day to do so. Normally, I am consumed with my thoughts and feelings and don’t notice much of whats going on around me, but I am so glad I did this time.

  55. Evelyn Moreno

    I truly loved this, its just the reminder I needed. Lately I have felt as if there has been no time to do anything for myself especially “pause”. However I have always been one for enjoying everything and going through life at a normal and slow pace, a pace that allows you to take in all your surroundings. For example, you sit down to eat an ice cream; you could eat while thinking about the things you have to do or the stresses you have or you could savor each second of it and find joy in taking the time to sit down and enjoying the ice cream. I love finding joy in simple things, I believe that if we truly take the time to review our day at the end of the day there will be at least one defining moment that made us laugh obnoxiously loud and freed our soul. So I believe and agree that it is very important to “pause” and allow ourselves the time to breathe, think and feel what is happening around us. Thank you for reminding me.

  56. Calandra Spencer

    I was just realizing the other day how much more cognizant I am of taking a pause and drawing a deep breath. I have realized that I actually make a more conscious effort to take deep breaths throughout the day and how much more calmer and in control I have been able to remain lately. Since taking your yoga class this summer, I definitely am more aware of the fact that I need to slow down and to just Be. I have tried to create more margin in my life so that every hour of my day is not scheduled and occupied. I know that it is important for me to take time for me and to relax, rejuvenate, meditate and just have some free time and quiet time. Its much easier to hear God’s voice when you aren’t hurrying through life. We have to take the time to listen and just Be in His presence. Thank you for a really great experience!

  57. Cayley White

    Since reading this I have tried to at least pause during my commute. Before I was caught up – worrying, stressing, planning my day ahead. Relaxing was not a term I was familiar with prior to this semester. However, once adding this to my practise I notice that I don’t rush, I don’t arrive flustered. I just take time to breathe and I think that has added to my mind’s allowance to go with the flow. Not to say that I don’t get flustered at times but then I stop, and think why don’t I just calm down? The world won’t end if someone has to wait.

  58. Debra Bond

    A liked this a lot. I particularly like the “create space to learn and discover” whether in ourselves or others. It’s a big world. There’s so much to discover. Your class has taught me, and I’m sure others, that there’s no rush. Slow down, listen to our bodies. Do what is best for us. Then, we can do for others.

    I will keep this passage. I will pause. I will just Be. I will pause for myself, I will pause for others. I hope to pass on the “the Simple Pause” message. Thank you.

  59. James Giannoni

    For me, pausing and noticing your own breath is the hardest thing to do, however it has also been the most valuable thing I can take away from yoga. It allows me to focus in on what’s actually important during my day and in my life.

  60. Paulina Navarrete

    This is exactly what I needed to read this weekend. I’ve never been the type of person that will slow down, I just like to get things done but this weekend I was with my nephews. While I was at the park with them I was trying to get to the car and my own nephew made me stop, sit on the ground with him and watch the sky. (the clouds were moving pretty fast) I’m really young, I can’t let my life slip out of my hands. These are the moments where I need to slow down and completely enjoy it.

  61. Cheska Jurisprudencia

    This is such a beautiful reminder especially in our society today when you see everyone always looking down at their phones or laptop screens. I am one of those people and I find that shameful. With all the social network and technology hype it has made everything more efficient and quicker, but it has made us more impatient and restless. Taking time to pause or even just taking time to be mindful of your own self and breathe can go a long way. I have found this very beneficial especially with starting yoga this semester. It has made my decisions more concrete and thoughtful and the daily frustrations and work easier to handle.

  62. Sara Thomas

    Pausing to simply be is an interesting concept that I think is often overlooked. We tend to teach people to slow down to think things through (careful decision making is always important), but we don’t always consider slowing down just to take a break. Our society is very goal-oriented; if you’re stopping for something, it had better be to plan your next move. I think I often fall victim to this mentality. Yes I’ll slow down and pause, but I always have my next course of action on my mind. It’s difficult to do as this article suggests and slow down just to clear your head.

    However, I definitely agree that it’s important. While we may gain some clarity by stopping to consider our to-do list, there is something else to be gained from simply stopping to notice the world around us. It’s not healthy to constantly be stressing about what’s next on our list. I agree that by pausing to simply be, we may improve our quality of life and perhaps even be made aware of our surroundings in some previously unknown way.

  63. Sean Drucker

    I think about this concept so often, because as a full time student and employee trying to maintain a social life as well as good grades and being a good employee I find myself moving consistantly at a faster than normal pace, taking very little time to slow down and take in my surroundings, thoughts, or feelings. So many things in my life I try and process so quickly without taking time to think rationally which usually doesn’t have a good outcome afterwards. Yoga is the one class I can forget all my worries and struggles and just take time to notice myself and my body. It’s amazing what a short moment of pause can do for you.

  64. Angelica Russo

    People do not realize that thinking is a disease, and that our thoughts are not who we truly are, and that voice inside our head is not us. We are our true self when we are in complete stillness. All the worry and anxious thoughts CAN be controlled if we would take the time to practice this and just pause. When you practice this you are practicing the state of No Mind as Eckhart Tolle says in his powerful book The Power of Now. Which is basically a whole book which talks about pausing and a guide to inner peace through stillness.

  65. Summer Hill

    The day I learned to deeply breath correctly in yoga class has helped me through this very stressful end of the year. Paying bills, working fulltime and going to school full time can really break a person down. Breathing does really help calm the mind and body. I do not have children yet, but I am nine weeks pregnant and already my emotions and senses have become stronger than ever. This ability has made me appreciate life in a whole new way. I do wish I can see life as a child again and cannot wait to see mine when she/he plays outside and gets excited over small things that we adults aren’t as amused with anymore. I think we were more stressed free because our generation played outside everyday in the fresh air with nature and got plenty of excersize also.

  66. Ghazal Norouzifar

    When I was reading your article last week, I agreed with every single sentence and almost subconsciously planned my tomorrow to be like that. The day after when I was lost in my hectic-day, I thought this concept was mainly achievable during our “personal-time”, not in every moment of our every-day-life… Although the complexity and fast-paced nature of our lives may limit our desire to accomplish this goal, but I think we can apply the “pause” concept to even to our rush-moments of life also, if during those moments, we pause for a second to ask ourselves “what is needed to be done?”, “how much do I have?”, “what are my tools to do this task?, etc… These simple pause-questions will give us the time to think pause for a second, think about what we are doing, and how we should do it… These thoughts probably wouldn’t come across our minds if we just follow the routines. I have been trying to do this in the past week, and although it was hard to do something different like this, but I am now used to this change and it has been working out. Remember, the pain of staying the same s greater than accepting the change!

  67. Jacob Thomas

    This is perfect, especially since it is finals week and everyone is trying to cram everything in. It really is important to slow down, appreciate the small things and take life as it comes.

  68. Sara Jeffcott

    This entry stood out to me so much, i go day to day and really don’t stop to admire things and SLOW down. I go day to day living fast pace. School, work, eat, sleep, repeat. That’s really what life has consisted of. Yoga helps me relax and it takes some of the load off of my shoulders, it’s amazing to me when we finish class how much better i feel and less stressed out.

  69. Kacie McCulley

    This made me really stop and realize that i need to take time for myself. As a full time student and working full time, I have no time to myself at the end of the day. It is good for your body to just pause and look around you and see whats going on or just closing your eyes and meditating.

  70. Emberleigh Cecil

    One of the many things I have learned from taking your class this semester is pausing to “just be”. This post really captures what you try to instill to your students and I think anyone who has you as an instructor can relate. I have found myself making more time in my day to just pause and take it all in and I really find it beneficial!

  71. Brishma Johnson

    This was definetly something I needed to read and have soak in. With having school and work both full time, you lose a sense of just Being. You forget to have time for the people around you and most importantly yourself. Running out of time in a day is stressful, but running out of time for yourself is worse. I need to focus to just Be for a moment. Thank you for that reminder to slow down and motivation!

  72. Mikayla Markland

    I think taking a step back and focusing on breathing is a really important way to manage a balance in your life. This is something that I have only just recently come to realize. I used to stress so much about every little thing to the point of panic. But for what reason? When you slow down life and simply observe, you can see how beautiful it truly is and how blessed you are to be apart of it. Breathing is not only essential to yoga, but life in general. When you focus on the importance of something that is taken for granted so often like your breath, it can be extremely humbling–in a good sense.

  73. Rachel

    I definitely need to do this more often. I need to take time to notice the sky or just take time to notice myself. Thank you for posting this article.

  74. Cecilia Hines

    I was going through your posts, and was looking for something that could hit home with me. This one is it. I really needed to read this. I am constantly stressed out and on the go. Before I know it, I am going to bed with my mind filled with what I “need” to get done the next day. I have a one year old little girl, and time with her is flying by much faster than I would like. I need to take time out from all of the things that won’t matter years from now. When I feel stressed and rushed, I need to remember to be more like her. This post will help me remember to stop, be in the present moment, and ask myself “does this really matter”? “is it worth my peace and happiness”. If the answer is no, hopefully it will make it easier for me to let go.
    Thank you for being an amazing instructor and allowing me to have a place that I can go to and focus on myself.

  75. Sarah Cole

    I enjoyed this piece of writing, it made me want to take more time for myself and “just be”

  76. Shaene McAfee

    By taking your class, I have learned to take moments out of my day to notice the things around me and breathe. As finals are approaching, I have been stressing this being my first year, I haven’t taken the time to simple be aware of all the things around me. It is good to take the time to relax each day and like you said, simply be.

  77. Elizabeth Wallbillich

    Sometimes I really need to do this because of how hectic my life is. I completely agree with you!

  78. Camden Williams

    Being fully present in the moment was one of the most important techniques that I took from your class. I think happiness comes from the journey as well as the destination. If you live your life on auto-pilot and think “If I just make it to that next goal then I’ll be happy”, one day you will wake up not realizing where all the time went. As I’ve grown older, I’ve noticed people tend to become numb and take the little things for granted. Be child like is a great way to put it. You can find great inspiration in watching and a young child looking at christmas lights for the first time, and the beauty through their eyes.

  79. Macy Miller

    This was helpful because I tend to never slow down and relax and really think about life. I need to make more time for myself and my body during the day.

  80. Tiffany John

    Very moving article! Helped to breathe, take a step back and take everything in.

  81. Shree

    I absolutely love this article. Concise, yet so very meaningful. It is something I need to remind myself everyday – to slow down the hurry. There is joy in beauty in “just being”. Life does not and should not be about what’s the next move. I lose all grasp of the moment I am in because I always default to a “go, go, go” mindset.

  82. Lizzi

    I have to agree with this. Between work, school, and everything thats going on, it is too overwhelming. I could certainly use taking small daily breaks to “stop and smell the roses”. I feel like theres not enough hours in the day to get everything done and still take care of myself. A pause here and there for just me would do me some good.

  83. Shelby Vaughan

    I have suffered from a lot of anxiety attacks lately. It would be very beneficial taking a moment to breathe and think about the moment I’m in instead of the future and past.

  84. Maia Mott

    As someone who suffers from anxiety disorder, I often have to ground myself. In the moment, it’s easy for me to forget that I need to calm down and focus on my surroundings, so the reminder to slow down and take a breath is nice. My life has become increasingly complicated and hectic the past few months and sometimes I forget that I need to reflect inwardly and breathe.

  85. Wyatt Jarrell

    Stopping and just being is one of the hardest things for people to do with all the things going on in the current times. I love that this article talks about just stopping and being there, being present with whatever it is. I try my very best to do this when I’m feeling tried in an activity or assignment and find it to be very releasing. Amazing way to remind everyone to live your life now.

Leave a Reply to Michelle Romanczukiewicz Cancel comment reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.