~ Pausing ~
In the Midst of Everyday Life

while on Vacation!

Shared by Natalie

I’ve been practicing the Pause Practice for
~3 years now…

….and what I’m finding as I become more aware of my thoughts is that I can
potentially spend an exorbitant amount of time worrying about the past or
anxious about the future.

The Pause Practice helps me Pause in the Midst of this nonsense so I can
enjoy the present moment.

Today I’m sharing an experience where I became anxious
about an upcoming excursion I took in Jamaica called
the Luminous Lagoon. 

The Luminous Lagoon…

…is where the Martha Brae River flows into the Carribean Sea.

When the fresh water from the river combines with the salt water
of the Sea, a natural phenomenon occurs creating an eerie glow in
the water. At night, the lagoon sparkles and glistens when
disturbed by fish, swimmers, and boats.

My friend, Pat and I, signed up for an evening tour where we could
swim in the waters and experience it first hand.

~ ~ ~

But I noticed as the excursion began to draw near that
I started to experience anxiety about it.

My mind became clouded by thoughts of the experience being at night, the
water being “brackish”, warm, shallow, and murky. Truthfully, my mind began
to wonder if sharks could be in the water.

I found myself sitting on a lounge chair by the pool surrounded by palm trees,
fresh air, Jamaican music telling me “don’t worry, every little thing is gonna be
alright” and yet I sat there Googling shark attacks in Jamaica.

Becoming aware of my thoughts, I began to laugh at myself,
and realized I needed to do the Pause Practice immediately.
I could see where this worrying business was going…
it was a one-way ticket to ruining my upcoming excursion.

I began to read through the Pause Practice every time I found
myself thinking in this unhelpful way. Eventually, my Inspired Self
was able to come forward and I was reminded of
why I signed up to do the excursion in the first place. Ahh, Pausing
brings great relief!

The evening of the excursion…

..as I wiggled my fingers on the
surface of the water I was overjoyed
as sparkles danced up my arms and
all around.

And as I swam, the water became
illuminated by every movement of
my arms and feet.

I was fully immersed in the
moment and the experience was
truly magical.

The Pause Practice helped me
get out of my own way, so I
could truly enjoy the present
moment.

Pause to Enjoy the Moment