How often during your day do you just “pause”?  Pause for breath, for space, for relaxation or just simply to sit!  Sometimes pausing even for just a few moments is like jumping off a moving train and then when it’s time jumping back on again.  The hustle and bustle of daily life can distract and distance us from what’s really going on.

Mindfulness is a “way of being” and is a simple practice available to all.  The perception that meditation takes a lot of time is one of the main stumbling blocks when it comes to participating in this practice.  However the practice of this meditation can take anywhere from 10 seconds, to 1 minute to as much time as you are prepared to commit to.

Cultivating an awareness of our internal and external state requires us to slow down and check in – to pause.  Pausing for a few brief moments or minutes during your day can help you refocus and re-energise.  A few mindful deep breaths or taking some time just to notice the beats of your heart can help you pay attention to what’s happening both internally and externally.

You can integrate this simple technique from the beginning of your day just before getting out of bed, in advance of a difficult conversation, prior to answering that challenging email, pausing before you begin to eat, before you go to sleep, take a moment, breathe, check in with yourself and notice that peace is just a pause away.

Making time to pause during your busy and demanding day can have a powerful effect on increasing your well-being and resilience and reducing stress.