The Power of Pause

We live in a world that moves fast. We’re taught to keep up, stay productive, and get through things — often without stopping to think about how we’re actually doing.

We’re trained to fix, to fight and to move on quickly. We’ve heard think before we speak or take a beat, but it isn’t intuitive for most of us and feels wrong.

But a pause isn’t a weakness. It’s not avoiding responsibility. It’s actually a great strength and powerful tools we have. And pausing is a learned behavior.

Tara Brach, a well-known teacher in mindfulness, calls it the Radical Acceptance Pause — a moment where you stop, tune in to what’s going on inside, and give yourself the space to respond with care instead of reactivity.

What’s So Important About a Pause?

You’ve probably heard advice like “count to ten before responding” or “take a breath before reacting.” That’s actually a version of this. The pause isn’t about being overly philosophical — it’s about giving your brain and body a break long enough to stop repeating the same stress-driven patterns.

In everyday life, that might look like:

• Taking a breath before replying to a tense text

• Saying “Can I get back to you?” in a stressful meeting

• Stepping outside for a quick walk when your emotions are high.

These small moves give you a moment to reset — to check in before you check out.

Why We Avoid Pausing

Pausing sounds easy. But when we’re stressed, overwhelmed, or used to powering through… it can actually feel unsafe. We might worry:

"Let me tell them what I think now!"

“If I stop, won’t everything fall apart?”

“If I let myself feel this, won’t I get stuck there?”

Our brains’ wiring avoids discomfort, so we push ahead. But that means we often carry around unprocessed stress, sadness, anger — even joy. We survive, but we don’t really feel better.

The pause is how we break that cycle.

Brach explains the deliberate pause where we consciously avoid conditioned reactions and instead act compassionately.

It’s the intentional act of interrupting our automatic patterns — pausing just long enough to recognize what’s happening inside of us, and to meet it with kindness rather than judgment or resistance.

Something so simple, but it's in the pause that we find our power to choose how we respond, instead of being ruled by fear, anger, shame, or habit.

That’s why learning to pause, even for 5 minutes, is one of the most powerful tools you can give yourself. That’s where the power of stepping away - even just for five minutes - is key.

How to Practice the Radical Acceptance Pause

You don’t need a meditation cushion, a silent retreat, or even a lot of time.

The Pause can happen in the middle of your day — in a meeting, during an argument, or in a quiet moment alone.

1. Pause.

Stop what you’re doing — even just for a few seconds. Don’t analyze or try to fix anything. Just stop.

2. Notice.

Ask yourself: What am I feeling right now? Where do I feel it in my body? No judgment — just observe.

3. Allow.

Let whatever’s there be there. You don’t need to solve it in this moment. You might silently say, “This is okay,” or “This belongs.”

4. Return.

When you’re ready, come back to what you were doing — but now with more clarity, calm, and choice.

Even a 30-second pause can change the trajectory of your day — or your life.

What a 5-Minute Break Can Do for Your Body

Choosing to step away, to say "I'll get back to you", so simply taking a few quiet minutes isn't avoidance - it's wisdom. It's allowing your nervous system the chance to downshift from survival mode back into regulation. 

Even a short pause can have physical benefits:

• It lowers stress hormones like cortisol

• Slows down your heart rate

• Helps your logical brain (yes, the part that makes smart decisions) turn back on

• Gives you just enough space to respond instead of react

You don’t need to wait for a breakdown to take a break. A five-minute reset can stop hours of spiraling.

After the Pause

Over time, practicing a pause — even once or twice a day — changes how you show up in your life:

• You stop reacting impulsively

• You stay calmer in tough situations

• You make better decisions

• You feel more in control

It reminds you that no matter what chaos is happening around you, you can choose to stay rooted in awareness, compassion, and truth. You build trust with yourself — that no matter what’s going on, you can handle it without going numb or blowing up.

As Tara Brach writes, “The pause is a suspension of activity, a time of temporary disengagement when we are no longer moving toward any goal.” It creates a sacred space between stimulus and response — a space where freedom lives.

It’s Not Giving Up — It’s Clarity

Radical acceptance doesn’t mean you have to like everything that happens. And it definitely doesn’t mean letting people walk all over you.

It means seeing things clearly — without all the extra judgment or mental drama. When you stop resisting reality, you can start figuring out what to do about it.

The pause isn’t the end — it’s the moment before the next best step.

Final Thought: Start Small

You don’t have to overhaul your life to start practicing the Pause.

Start by taking one mindful breath before a meeting.

One moment of silence before you respond to a message.

One walk around the block instead of reacting immediately.

In those tiny moments, something powerful happens. You can come home to yourself.

As Tara Brach so beautifully says:

“The moment you pause, you are no longer caught in the trance of unworthiness. You are home.”

Try it and you will see.