Sometimes it’s half a breath
or a whole breath

sometimes it’s 10 breaths
or a whole day

a week even

pausing gives you time to think
time to respond
time to remember

pausing gives you space
to adjust your schedule
to remind you
that you can’t be
in two places at once

pausing allows you to step back
assess
reassess
and decline politely

pausing creates space
and space creates time

rest deep inside the pause
where there is no hustle
no hurry
no worry

pause. breathe. release.

(Peggy Nolan, The Power of Pause, November 3, 2016)

Make time to breathe.