Living The Pause

It Was In Me All Along

Posted on January 19, 2026

in Living The Pause

by Mary Lenihan

pg-29---trusting-wisdom-moment-to-moment-draws-an-end-to-inner-conflict

It Was In Me All Along

Sharing by Mary

My father shared his Words of Wisdom with me throughout my life.

He was a man of few words, and maybe that is why when he spoke, I
listened. I knew they were Words of Wisdom because they led me to pause and
shift my way of seeing and thinking about life in a more helpful direction.

Whether raking leaves together as a little girl, doing the dishes, or on a road
trip, we seemed to both enjoy the same vibe. Visiting with him in his older
years, we did as we often did, simply being together in quiet.

From within the silence, he uttered the words,
“It was in me all along.”

Those words definitely landed.

Wisdom breaks through when I give my consent.

As I am aware of Inner Wisdom, and truly allow myself to receive, I experience
an inner shift in how I see myself, others, and relationships. It’s not a sacrifice
to let go of my way in favor of receiving a Wiser Way.

The challenge is letting Wisdom truly make a difference in my day-to-day life.

If I don’t apply the Wisdom I have received, if I go on about my day as if I don’t
know any better, I can feel like I have one foot in one world and one foot in
another. This becomes a brewing conflict, an inner divide that deepens over
time as I choose not to follow Wisdom.

I lose my inner peace, which then leads to losing outer peace.

For example, you haven’t heard from me in a while because I…

…chose to take a part-time sabbatical to rest. My Inner Wisdom has been urging
me for at least five years to take a break from work, but I kept ignoring it. I
relied upon a long list of excuses as to why I couldn’t possibly stop working. All
of these excuses were fear-based thoughts that cause exhaustion! My ego
barked at me that if I took a break, Pause for Inspiration (the nonprofit) would
fall apart. This is highly unlikely, as I have reliable people I can call upon for
backup. Thank you, Natalie, and John.

The Bottom Line

No one else can force me to follow the Wisdom I receive.
The choice is always mine.
Might I have some trepidation?
Yes, much of the time!
Will I regret it? Never.

In the midst of everyday life

Download the free “Pause For Inspiration”
mobile app in your app store!

Over The Rainbow

Posted on January 4, 2026

in Living The Pause

by Mary Lenihan

Over The Rainbow
be uplifted

Sharing by Mary

Your Inspired Mind knows what you are experiencing in
your daily life and wants to lift you up! You can open to the
Wisdom, Inspiration, and Peace within. All you have to do is
Pause.
Now, Receive.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would be a co-founder of a
nonprofit educational organization, which began because, in my
stress, strife, and lack of purpose in this world, I was willing to Pause
and Receive my Higher Mind. This Bigger Mind, not our ego me-
character, showed me the way of true vision ~ how to perceive,
think, communicate, act, be still, and enter into silence. This Inner
Present LOVE taught me that we have the potential to “Be a Living
Expression of Inspiration in the world.” Help comes to each of us in
various ways: our wise thoughts, an inner awareness of Peace, a heart
space, perhaps awareness of a bodily sensation or way of moving, and
even through another person or an
unexpected encounter.

Your Helpful Self awaits you! Pause in 2026.

We here at Pause are immensely grateful for all the
ways Pause was shared & practiced in 2025.

BJC Healthcare ~ Raising St. Louis Mom’s Group

Kids & Teens Summer Camp

St. Louis University Nursing Professor Invites
Pause to share with Nursing Students

LifeBridge Partnership

ArchWell Health

Tornado Recovery with Shaka

Forest Park Community College Scholars

Youth Empowerment Rally

College Church Retreat

Shared PAUSE with:

Namaste Village in Mexico

Saprea, supporting women survivors of childhood abuse

Neighborhood Healing Network ~ National Crime Victims

Rosé Day Festival ~ Empowering Women and Girls

Better Family Life Resource Tailgate

Bridge the Gap ~ Juneteenth

My Life In a Bag ~ Children in Foster Care and Group Homes

Grateful for Natalie & Myron

Eileen Teaches Pause with Sound Bowls,
Rainsticks!

Natalie Shooting Hoops ~ Mary On The Trail

A Truly JOYFUL, HEALING, and DEEPLY
PEACEFUL 2026 to us all.

A Hitch in My Giddy-Up

Posted on November 29, 2025

in Living The Pause

by Natalie Taylor Levin

A Hitch in My Giddy-Up!

A sharing by Natalie

“Hitch in my giddy-up” ~ an expression that refers to
an impediment to movement
making you feel slow or unwell…

Recently, I was experiencing back pain and I was beginning to lose my
peace of mind in the process of finding a solution.

I turned to the Pause Practice to help me handle the pain and to help
guide my actions toward rest and the steps I need to take toward healing.

~~

While I’m pausing, I keep hearing this small voice surfacing, like an inner
longing to go for a hike and surround myself with nature.

I keep ignoring it due to the pain in my back.
I ignore it for weeks, until recently when my Inner Wisdom nudged me yet
again about this hike and I realized that resting hasn’t helped, so I made
the decision to listen to this persistent small voice and go for a hike.

~~

It felt great to be outside in the fresh air.
I hiked a slower pace than my usual that day, taking in the quiet calm of nature,
appreciating the clear blue sky,
the crisp fall air,
and the beautiful cliffs overlooking the river.

~~

Once I returned home, I felt relaxed and rejuvenated.

While toasting my bagel,
I began to realize I was experiencing more range of motion and fluid
movement in my back. The pain and tightness I had been experiencing
had let up and I was feeling relief for the first time!

Going into the woods seemed to release the hitch in my giddy-up!!!

~~

I am reminded FREQUENTLY that my Inner Wisdom knows way more than
my cubicle mind ever could…

If only I would listen to my Inner Wisdom sooner.
It could potentially save me weeks of pain and suffering, worry, doubt, and
all the other stuff that comes up when we just don’t feel 100%.

~~

When I Pause I remember:

That quieting my mind is the first step. I must Pause.
Getting out of my own way to clear a path for Inspiration is the second
step. I must Step Back.
Allowing Inspiration to come forward and being open to receiving
Inspiration is the third step. I must Step Aside.
And following the wise inner guidance that is there to help in all situations
and circumstances is the 4th step. I must Let Inspiration Guide.

I’m SO grateful for a Pause
that helps me connect with my Inspired Mind
that see the
vast view and the solution
once again.

Pause ~ Step Back ~ Step Aside ~ Let Inspiration Guide

Click the card below to connect with your Inspired Mind!

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Order, and Share!

Speak Up or Be Silent?

Posted on November 1, 2025

in Living The Pause

by Natalie Taylor Levin

Pausing for Tea

A sharing by Natalie

Recently, I used the Pause Practice to help me with a situation at my
local coffee shop.

On my last few visits, my London Fog hot tea has tasted bitter,
unsweet, and less desirable.

~~

Not knowing what to do, I became conflicted about whether to ask
them about it or remain silent, like I usually do.

While standing in line one day, I decided to PAUSE.
Taking a few deep breaths, I let a feeling of calm wash over me.
I continued to Pause and Step Back to get out of my own way.

~~

By the time I got to the counter, I was feeling calm and relaxed.
I ordered my London Fog hot tea with ease, adding, “Please ask the
barista not to leave the tea bag in it.”

With my mind calm, I was able to remember that on my last few visits
they’d left a tea bag in my tea, which was out of the ordinary.

Overhearing the cashier tell the barista about the tea bag,
I hear the barista exclaim, “well good, because we’re not supposed to
leave the tea bag in it!”

~~

In an instant, I realized that someone new, who’s learning what to do,
must have been making my tea recently.

~~

When I got my tea that day it tasted delicious, just like old times.

Wow!

With a Pause, I was able to experience my calm, quiet mind and the
solution just showed up!

AND I didn’t have to complain OR be silent.

With a Pause, I was shown Another Way.

~~

The Higher Mind of Inspiration saw the vast view and the solution.
In an instant, the Pause Practice saved a customer and benefited
everyone; including the new baristas, other customers, and me!

Pausing Works! …for situations we perceive as big and small and
everything in between.

I’m SO grateful for The Pause!

Click the card below to Practice the Pause!

With a click, you can see the front and back of the card,
Enlarge, Download, Save,
Order, and Share!

4-Decisions-Card-English-front-768x1187-1

Don’t Be Afraid of JOY

Posted on September 7, 2025

in Living The Pause

by Mary Lenihan

pg-30---gratitude-is-opening-to-an-experience-of-seeing-inspiration-at-work

Don’t Be Afraid of JOY

A truly grateful sharing by Mary

You Can Ask for Help

Do you ever wake up wondering why you
should get out of bed? Feeling a sense of
purposelessness? This week, I experienced
more than one of those days! Hence, the
need to pause and ask for HELP. I call
upon this Higher LOVE whose Presence is
always present, whether I feel it or not. I
demand, yes, demand, “You must help me!”
You’d be amazed at how well this works!

Help Arrives!

Sipping my iced latte while walking through the
coffee shop parking lot, I pause my mind. The
espresso hasn’t had time to kick in, mind you, and
I receive the Wisdom in my mind, “You have a lot
to be grateful for. I am providing for you.” That
opened my mind.

You Can Experience a Shift

In that instant, which I chose to see the
truth spoken in these words, my heart
leaned into being GRATEFUL. The
dispiritedness I was feeling was replaced
by a blossoming of Abundant, Absolute
JOY.

Then I hear the Thought, “Don’t be afraid
of JOY.” This might sound odd, but it’s
not. Have you ever noticed a hesitancy
about feeling and expressing JOY?
When thoughts come into your mind
that deter your JOY, that is the time you
can choose to Practice The Pause
because you are worthy of JOY.

You Can Grow

When I don’t like the way I
feel, I have the choice to
pause and ask my Inner
Wisdom for help. If I resonate
with what I receive from my
Inner Wisdom, I have the
option to follow. I am grateful
for the Peace of Mind and
JOY that I experience.

Feelings are simply
wonderful opportunities to
GROW.

Pause for Nourishment

Posted on August 24, 2025

in Living The Pause

by Mary Lenihan

pg-10---Pause-allow-stillness-to-replace-the-chatter

Pause For Nourishment

Sharing by Mary

Are you perhaps feeling undernourished? I am not checking in on your
eating leafy greens, hydration, and popping supplements as if they were miracle
pills that will give you boundless energy, heal emotional wounds, and
revive your spirit!

I am asking you,

“Deep on the inside, do you feel malnourished?”

“Is something missing?”

“Are you sensing a gaping hole that nothing seems to fill?”

“Or, maybe you feel blank inside, bored, or lonely?”

“Are you seeking and not finding?”

Would you consider taking in a nourishing pause?

PAUSE

Step back from external noise as much as you can

Pause from who you think you should be and what you should be doing

For this moment, these moments

Begin to notice even a morsel of inner quiet

Ask for Help with letting the stillness deliver nourishment to you

With “Deep Willingness, ” open to receiving and being nourished

Absorb this nourishment, replacing the feeling of being malnourished

Allow a sense of being reassured and sustained

Experiencing what True nourishment provides.

Pause If Feeling Trapped

Posted on August 10, 2025

in Living The Pause

by Mary Lenihan

pg-31---can-you-trust-what-it-greater-than-what-you-are-thinking

Feeling Trapped?

Sharing by Mary . . . You Have a Choice

As I lay awake last night, hoping to fall asleep sooner rather than
later, a quiet thought behind the chatter entered my mind: “Open your eyes
and look at the ceiling.” Well, that’s a heck of a way to fall asleep, I thought, with
my eyes open. Yet, I followed the direction I received in this pause.

In a pause, staring at the ceiling, I received further Wisdom. I was
shown how I have been listening to the thinking of my cubicle mind, the ego
mind ~ the part of the mind experiencing disconnection, guilt, anxiety, and fear.
AND, I have been TRUSTING this part of the mind that has proven itself to be
unhelpful, untrustworthy, has led me astray, and lives in the land of confusion
with its figuring, analyzing, and thinking.

Oh my, watch out, Dorothy!
LIONS, and TIGERS, and BEARS!

On the other hand, I have been listening, trusting, and following my
Inner Knowing, the Wisdom of Inspiration Within, and enjoying every moment.

Experiencing True Peace.

WOW! This was a breakthrough.
A stark contrast indeed.

This explains why I have been feeling trapped lately. Trying to force
myself to live two ways at once, if you will. Trying to adhere to what my ego mind
tells me I SHOULD DO to live up to the false expectations I have made up for
myself, and to not upset other people by not living up to my perceived
expectations that they have of me.

When we do this, we are left feeling:

Out of sorts
Angry
Impatient
Irritable
Confused
In a fog
Blame others for any number of things
Judgmental of self, and others
Being Stuck
Tired and Fatiqued
NO FUN

Eventually, the bow breaks, which I have experienced and don’t recommend to
anyone!

WANT A TRULY HELPFUL ALTERNATIVE?

Practice Pausing for Your Inner Wisdom

and

PRACTICE RECEIVING and then FOLLOWING.

It Works!

PEACE WILL FOLLOW.

The Choice Is Yours.

Download/Print Free Pause Practice Cards

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Suspicious of The Pause

Posted on July 27, 2025

in Living The Pause

by Mary Lenihan

Suspicious of The Pause

Sharing by Mary

Yes, some people are SUSPICIOUS OF THE PAUSE! Their cubicle mind has
come up with all kinds of reasons to fear Practicing The Pause. I won’t give the
mind in the box, with its LONG LIST of EXCUSES, JUDGMENTS, and
MISPERCEPTIONS any air time here.

pg-4---pfi-is-not-a-theory-or-a-metaphor

The Origin of Pause

I received PAUSE in a time of
suffering. After taking my quiet time
in the morning, which was usually
peaceful, I would stand up and begin
my day’s business. The peace I
experienced in my quiet time almost
immediately disappeared once I went
into action with the tasks, to-do list,
work, conversations, and
commitments of the day.

I asked Inspiration Within, “How
can I experience Peace in my
ordinary day?”

Shortly thereafter, I witnessed a
customer in a restaurant being
overlooked by a server, continually.
Poor customer service is a pet peeve
of mine! Oh, well. I let it go.

Then I was compelled to listen to
this thought that bolted into my
mind with intense clarity,
“Someone needs to help these
people. They need training on
how to BE HELPFUL.”

The next words I heard, I
immediately scribbled in my
notebook, “Inspired to be Truly
Helpful.”

What I initially thought was a
human resources training,
continues to become more than I
ever could have devised without
the Help of Inner Inspiration.

Then I heard the thought:

We are all customers.
And we are here to provide
one another with
Supreme customer service!

THIS IS FOR THE WHOLE
WORLD.

Bottom Line of Worry

Posted on July 13, 2025

in Living The Pause

by Mary Lenihan

Bottom Line of Worry

Sharing by Mary

ARE YOU A WORRIER? I never thought of myself as a worrier. Yes, I see myself
as a thinker and analyzer, but not a worrier. Lately, I’ve felt like there’s been an energy
drain on my system, as if someone left the faucet on, but I couldn’t find the faucet to
stop the leak, so I made a decision to pause for an afternoon off.

Visiting a healthcare provider who focuses on healing at a deeper level, I inquired,
“What is going on?” She responded, “It’s your mind. It’s all in the mind. You worry! You
worry too much!”

She dimmed the lights and closed the door so I could rest quietly. Turning inward, I
called upon my Dear Friend, this Presence of Love within, to get in touch with what is
truly draining my energy. Sure enough, as clear as day, I saw how I have been
worrying about many things, especially for the last few months; feeling divided about
how I spend my time and energy, and what things I am pressuring myself to be my
priorities in daily life. Then, as I pause for Wisdom, I become aware that these are not
the priorities that LOVE is calling me to live by at all.

Furthermore, choices that I thought of as showing concern, taking responsibility, and
being conscientious, were WORRYING!!!

THE SOLUTION?

In a pause, I decided to slow down so that I can be more aware of WHAT IS GOING
ON IN MY MIND; the pace of my thoughts, what these thoughts are preaching to
me, how these thoughts are making me feel, and
Pause to call upon and listen to the Presence of LOVE in me INSTEAD ~
The LOVE that is beneath the mental chatter is sharing quite a different story.

Rather than a story of overwhelm and frustration, A TRUE STORY OF
THE PEACE and JOY that is fully available to all of us, shaping a new
way of seeing and living everyday life in the world.
Seeing the potential
that an ordinary day holds for extending Peace and Joy.
I am making choices in my mind with my everyday time.
What are they?

Let Peace Be With You

One Fine Day ~ A Practical Poem

Click Pause Golden Book for free download

So here is the deal,
The bottom line, if you will,
We all need help
And there is not much time left to kill.
I am speaking of Help,
From Inspiration Within.
While you may have been searching
For help around the bend,
Inspiration’s Help is here and now,
Resting within.

Inspiration wants to Help you
Even give you a good laugh,
It asks nothing of you and
Is not condemning you in wrath.
So, unpack your bags
Take off your shoes,
You are not going anywhere –
At least not until you pull up a chair.
For here you will pause,
And look on the inside.
Do not worry, do not fret
No one travels alone on This Ride.
It does not change a thing,
How your life appears thus far,
Inspiration has a plan for you,
And those hands in the cookie jar.

The bottom line is this:
Will you do your part? I will do mine.
I am here to serve you,
If you are in the serving line.

Your part is simple
Never changes its tune,
It is your little willingness,
Which will be followed by a boon.
Willingness to what?
Well, get out of your own way
And listen to your Inspired Heart∞Mind
On This One Fine Day.

What is the point?
What good will it do?
Whether it is the kids overwhelming you,
Your parents or your job in the zoo,
Or perhaps taxes, rent, mortgages too
– Relationship upheaval got you in a
jam,
Got. a headache over the daily scam,
Messages coming in, emails stacking
up,
Giving your all to this overflowing cup
– Or maybe as you see it life is going
well.
But is your neighbor feeling so swell?

If you would give Inspiration a chance,
All I am waiting for is your willing
glance.
Life is filled with decisions
The moment the day begins
Turn towards Inspiration Within.

Page 91 Pause Golden Book

Pause ~ Summer of Wisdom

Posted on June 29, 2025

in Living The Pause

by Mary Lenihan

A Summer Camp of Wisdom

Shift Your Energy

Sharing by Mary

HAVE YOU EVER FELT NOT UP TO DOING SOMETHING? Feeling
listless, I was not up to teaching this day, yet within minutes of being with these kids
and sharing how WE CAN ALL CHOOSE to PRACTICE THE PAUSE on the spot, in
the moment, anywhere, and any time,
I was immediately rejuvenated.

Practicing The Pause Can Shift Our State of Mind and Physical
Energy, thus Shifting Our Thoughts, Words, Actions, and
OUR WHOLE STATE OF BEING.
Get to know Your Helpful Self to Be Truly Helpful.