The Power of the Pause — Why Rest Isn’t a Luxury, It’s a Portal

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.”

— Anne Lamott

I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of the pause.

Not just the pause between tasks or the deep breath before a big moment, though those matter too, but the kind of pause that reorders your inner world. The kind of pause that happens when you take real space: a sabbatical, a season of rest, a long journey.

These longer pauses have been transformative throughout my life. They’ve marked turning points, endings, and beginnings. They’ve been portals into new ways of being.

And the more I reflect on them, the more I realize: these pauses are not interruptions. They’re essential.

Burnout vs. Becoming

We live in a world that glorifies constant motion. Productivity is currency. Rest is often seen as weakness, or worse, laziness.

But the truth is: when you’re in survival mode, you’re not building; you’re barely holding on. And that’s not a failure. That’s biology.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs puts it plainly: if you’re stuck worrying about safety, finances, or exhaustion, you’re unlikely to reach the top of the pyramid, self-actualization.

And while it’s often illustrated as a fixed pyramid, it’s more accurate to think of it as a continuum of bandwidth.

When your basic needs aren’t met, like food, shelter, or emotional safety, most of your mental and emotional energy is focused on preserving yourself. It’s not that you don’t want to grow or create or self-reflect. It’s that your system is doing what it’s wired to do: survive.

Once those foundational needs are met, your mind opens up. You begin to access visionary bandwidth, the part of you that can dream, reflect, innovate, and become.

And that’s where the pause comes in. Sometimes we have to step out of survival mode before we can remember who we are and what we’re truly capable of.

The Pause as a Portal

What I’ve come to believe is this: the pause isn’t the opposite of progress. It’s a portal to transformation.

When we step back, we stop doing and start listening. We hear our intuition more clearly. We remember what we actually want. We notice what no longer fits.

Pauses help us move from reaction to intention. They’re where we shed old skins and grow into something new.

They also align with the natural cycles of life:

• Winter teaches us to rest.

• Seeds germinate underground before they bloom.

• Even the heart rests between each beat.

Why should we be any different?

Rest Is Resistance

Pausing is not just personal, it’s political. In a world that demands endless output and productivity, rest is a radical act of self-trust.

It says:

I am worthy even when I’m not producing.

I am allowed to take up space, even in stillness.

I trust that something meaningful will emerge in the quiet.

Putting the Pause into Practice

It’s one thing to believe in the power of the pause. It’s another to make space for it in real life.

If you’re someone with months of unused PTO saved up “for a rainy day” consider this your invitation to stop waiting for the storm. The pause isn’t a luxury for later. It’s the groundwork for a more grounded, clear, and creative version of you.

I say that with love and urgency. Because too many people burn out while “being responsible.” You weren’t born just to hold it all together. You were born to live.

But I also want to speak directly to those for whom taking a long break or vacation feels financially or logistically impossible. Our society isn’t set up for rest. Most jobs don’t offer nearly enough paid time off. Childcare is expensive. Bills don’t pause.

So here’s the truth:

Rest doesn’t have to be a plane ticket. It can be a pattern interrupt.

It might look like:

• Taking one full day off, no email, no errands, no catching up. Just rest.

• Saying no to an extra project or event so you can have space to breathe.

• Turning off your phone for an afternoon.

• Building in a weekly ritual of stillness: a walk, a nap, a journal session.

• Using a small window, like a lunch break, as sacred, uninterrupted time.
  
  

And if you’re in a season where even that feels out of reach, know this: sometimes the first powerful pause is simply the decision to stop pushing yourself so hard internally. That’s valid. That counts.

No matter your circumstances, the message is the same:

You are worthy of rest. You are not a machine. Your life deserves room to unfold.

Start where you are. Start small if you need to. But start.

Because even the tiniest pause, when done with intention, can change your life.

Reflect & Share

What would it look like for you to take a meaningful pause this week?

What needs to shift to make space for it?

If this resonates, I’d love to hear from you and for you to share this with someone you know who’s overdue for rest.