Coffee Talk #184: Pause & Reflect

It’s Tuesday! Grab your cup and let’s start chattin’.

If we were having coffee together today, I’d tell you that we’re in week 23490 of quarantine and I have taught approximately 700 fitness classes. I keep adding and NOW we can be back in the parks, in limited numbers. This gives me LIFE. I love connecting with my crew in person (and adding new friends to our crew)! There are some people who have told me they prefer the at-home workouts, and they say it like it was surprising to them. I’m in that same boat. I never EVER worked out at home, I always left the house to complete a workout. But it’s really nice to like walk into another room or step onto my front porch and teach.

If we were having coffee together today, I’d tell you that I just recently hit SEND on my final work for YTT. And, in doing so, I got to stop for a moment and reflect on some of our teachable moments. I got to revisit a few of the Yamas and Niyamas, which are the ethics of yoga. I was reminded of one REALLY big point that I’ve been missing lately – to pause. To sit in contentment.

I’ve been so preoccupied with thoughts of “what MORE can I offer?” “what else can I teach?” “how else can I serve” that I haven’t stopped to really reflect on everything. It helped last week, to sit with the sheer volume of classes and programs I’ve offered. I almost spit out my coffee when I did the current tabulations.

I often do my best work when I’ve had time to stop and reflect. When you’re in the thick of constant daily tasks, it can be hard to see (or remember) the bigger picture. Dare I say that we’d be doing better work if we had MORE time off, to reflect?

Sometimes, when we get into a workflow, we turn on the autopilot. For some things, this is ok. For example, I don’t waste time on making a decision about what to wear — I have curated a closet that cuts down on these decisions, so I go to ‘autopilot’ mode when I select what to wear that day/the next day. But for life? For your career? For your ‘passion’? How can we get off the autopilot train and start doing real work?

We pause. We stop. We reflect. Reflecting is different than evaluating. Evaluating looks at specific tasks and determines how to change them to meet an end goal. Reflecting soaks all of it inward and forces you to face your present moment. It’s hard, I know. It’s so much easier to turn on that autopilot and keep doing repetitive tasks. There’s no thinking involved. There’s also no growing involved.

What if we took a moment today, each day, to pause? What GREATNESS are we missing and what opportunities are we missing from the constant movement and motions of the day?

I’ve collected a few things we can do each day — even just one — to break the cycle of daily tasks.

5 Ways to Pause & Do Epic Sh*t

1. Take a walk. Actually turn off devices and go be in nature. Even if it’s just for 15 minutes. This pause will help you be more productive, and might also help if you are feeling frustrated. Stepping away from the daily flow offers perspective.
2. Move Your Body. Really – move your body. We weren’t made to sit still all day. Take a break from the monotony of your day and get moving. Here are some class options.
3. Gratitude. Write down what you’re grateful for, right now, in this moment. Put that list somewhere you will see it every single day. Take this daily mini ‘pause’ to remind yourself what you have and why you’re grateful.
4. Create something. Maybe it’s a meal, or a craft, or a flower arrangement. Take 15 minutes from your day and MAKE something. It doesn’t have to be large and it doesn’t have to bring joy to anyone but you. Making something stimulates the brain in ways that autopilot work cannot. You might even solve a problem you’re having at work!
5. Play with an animal. There’s something about connecting with a pet, touching their soft ears, or running your hands through their fur, that puts a person to ease. It’s been proven that pets can help reduce stress and anxiety. Take 10 minutes and play with an animal – they will love it, too! No pets of your own? Google teacup poodles and look at photos. You’re welcome.

Your turn! Which of these tips can you try today to pause, reflect, and step away from the monotony of the day?