A WhatsApp message came in. I opened it. Closed it. Opened it again. I typed a reply. Deleted it. Rewrote it with a softer tone. Added context so I wouldn’t be misunderstood. Took the context out in case it sounded defensive. Then I read it as if I were them and imagined their reply; not the generous one, the likely one.Then I imagined my response to that reply. Then I read the whole thing out loud to a friend. Asked for their take. Listened to their feedback and debated over that 😳 Still I wasn’t sure. That’s when I noticed the familiar tightening; the moment a WhatsApp message stops being a message and turns into a full-body negotiation. The pull to send it wasn’t because I wanted to say something but it was because I didn’t want to be inconvenient. And truly a part of me believed that if they really understood my context, their view of me might change. Which is a an all consuming rabbit hole…trying to get someone else to see you in a particular light by offering just a little more explanation, a little more framing, a little more of me. So I paused (Mostly out of exhaustion 😓) just long enough to step out of the rehearsal. I didn’t send it. But I did sit with the feelings and the internal fight!! So the pause counts 💃🏽 Okay, who relates?

Good morning all ! Yesterday we went out to this amazing park and I tried a mindfulness exercise for the first time and.. WOW! Being "here and now" really calmed me down and erased tons of stressful thoughts that prevented me from enjoying my life ! I would like to consider it as a "pause" Just wanted to share this 😇❤️

For the moments where you actually caught yourself mid-spiral and chose differently 💃🏽 Your proud pause moments — micro choices that shifted the day. Examples: “Paused before sending a spicy text.” Paused before eating my emotions.” “Paused before spiralling.” How it regulates: Your brain learns: we can do this. Brag a little ( We WANT to know how you did it!!!) — the pause was earned.

That was the whole win. What's your minor and major pause for the day?

A rope 🪢 A door 🚪 An exhale 🌬️ A balloon 🎈 👉 Share the image that rises for you.