I have been living my "One Word Resolution" for almost 3 months. Admittedly, practicing the PAUSE has certainly helped, I'm not sure that it's making the impact that I hoped it would. Perhaps, I need to be more patient with myself.
The One World movement is all about choosing a word that will guide everything you do. Your everyday actions should begin to change and this will impact every area of your life. I have to admit: there are some days, when I forget to Pause and I make choices that I later regret. The important thing in all this, is that I am not giving up. I have paused to reflect, but I haven't stopped. That's vital when you are trying to make lasting changes. No one is perfect, so you have to give yourself a break.
Here are some ways that I am living my one word... PAUSE
1. Reading God's Word everyday
Removing myself from the "world" and spending real time reading the Bible is just one way that I Pause. Reading the Bible and applying it to current situations or making connections to my past experiences helps me to learn so much. I used to struggle with daily Bible reading. Now this habit is finally developed, the time I spend reading my Bible is really making an impact on my attitude, my actions, my choices, my words and my relationships.
2. Meditating and Real Rest
The chronic pain in my neck and back gets a bit much for me and the best way to 'reset' (sort of) is to lie down. That's right, laying flat on my back, right where I am. There was a time when I would take meetings on the floor, call parents and answer questions from my colleagues, there were even times when I would talk to students while I was lying on the floor. Now, I don't do that. I lie down in the middle of the day if I need to, but I don't talk to anyone. I just lie there. No phone calls, no games, no work, no reading. I just lie down. Giving my spine and surrounding muscles a rest is important but so is giving my mind a rest. My work is not just hard on my body, it can be even harder on my mind and mental health.
3. Meal Planning/ Grocery Shopping/ Meal Prep
I have been meal planning before I go grocery shopping and prepping meals ahead of time. On the days when I am not working, I cook in bulk. Last week, I made three different chicken dishes and served them out into containers so I could freeze them. When I take the time to PAUSE and plan my meals, it makes it so much easier to make good choices about food. I plan meals and shop when I'm satisfied (not hungry) and I have time to carefully think about how balanced my diet is panning out to be. I don't have to stick to it religiously, but it makes those choices so much easier.
4. Breathe First
Conversations are the most difficult activities for me, especially when it comes to pausing. The pace is sometimes I little too quick for me to keep up which means that I sometimes say things without thinking. While having conversations this year, my "pause" strategy is simple. I just have to breathe before I speak. Once I have taken a breath, if it really needs to be said, I can say it. Often, if it didn't need to be said, the conversation has moved on anyway. I don't do this all the time. Maybe I need to do it more. Maybe, I don't.
That's that...
for now.
