The Power is in the Pause

A few years ago in the first few months of the pandemic, I wrote nearly daily posts on social media about my experiences.

One recently struck home and I thought I would share it with you below.

We're just coming out of one of the most important pauses - a family member was in hospice.

And it felt like the world paused for us as we helped with that transition.

My father-in-law lived a big beautiful life and while I miss him like crazy, I know he's at peace.

Even though the times we're living in now are very different post pandemic, I hope these words resonate with you today, [FIRST NAME GOES HERE].

PAUSE

Crazy thunder storm today.

I never expected to get in a power walk. But the rain stopped and we headed out. It was so windy and I was so freaking cold. I kept thinking if I had red shoes I could tap my heels three times and go home?

Already there.

A lot.

All the time.

It might be time for a drive to nowhere.

Bob picked up the pace. That walk kicked my *ss.

As I walked in that wind, I thought about how it was clearing things out.

• Maybe the cobwebs.
• Maybe excess emotions.
• Maybe the exhausting work day.

Once I got my heart rate down to normal, I felt clear.

Right now everyone is talking about pandemics and panic and productivity and pivot. I hear these words shared everywhere.

Our society says we should be more productive.

We should get more done with less.

We need to cram even more into our already busy days.

Move faster.

Be more effective and efficient.

Are you cringing yet?

Is your stomach in a thousand knots like me?

Do you feel like you can hardly breathe?

It’s the sickness of should. And the cult of busy.

It sounds like this in the media or sometimes just in our heads -

• We should be making masks.
• We should be baking bread.
• We should be perfectly homeschooling our kids even though maybe we’ve never homeschooled them before.And never wanted to. No offense meant to homeschoolers. I give y’all all the credit in the world.

Maybe we aren’t meant to be seamstresses and bakers and teachers.

Maybe we aren't meant to be everything.

Maybe we aren’t meant to DO ALL the things.

Maybe we’re meant to pause.

Maybe we’re meant to allow time and space to reflect, to go inward, to find out who we are.

Not just in the DOing but in the BEing.

The real power comes in that pause.

It’s why I walk.

That’s my pause.

I let the world fall away.

I go inward.

Pause

Our office is open and fully back to business.

Up next in June - an email inbox management workshop.

You'll want to join us to see how we can use the power of that pause with emails!

While I'm in creation mode, I would love for you to send me a quick response to this email about this one question:

"What's your biggest challenge when it comes to your inbox/emails?"

Happy May!

About

Catherine Avery is an ADHD Productivity Coach. A Certified Neurodiversity Coach and Trauma Informed Coach, Catherine helps her clients close the 50 open tabs in their brains one tab at a time. Former podcast host of The Uncluttered Office for ADHD, Catherine has spoken for many groups, including ADDA, CHADD, and the International Conference on ADHD, and was featured in The Washington Post on ADHD, mental health, and organization.

Catherine is a former queen of clutter, recovering Type-A Wall Streeter, cancer survivor/thriver, a diagnosed late in life ADHDer. She believes that to be truly productive we need to learn how to be intentionally unproductive.