The 3-Step Pause

This short guided practice guides you through the 3-step pause, which is intended to help you reconnect with yourself in a moment that is challenging for you or in between calls or meetings to reset your nervous system so you can show up fully again.

Transcript

Welcome to this short grounding practice.

This is the three-step pause,

A simple tool to help you reconnect with yourself any time you feel overwhelmed,

Distracted,

Or reactive.

You may want to use this at the start of your day,

Or in between meetings,

Or maybe just in the middle of a challenging moment.

Begin by settling into stillness.

Allow your body to arrive,

Let your shoulders soften,

Let your breath come and go naturally.

When you're ready,

You may want to close your eyes or just soften your gaze.

Step one is to notice.

Start by noticing what's happening right now.

What do you become aware of physically,

Mentally,

Emotionally?

What thoughts are here?

What feelings are present?

What sensations do you notice in your body?

There's no need to analyze it,

Just notice and let yourself become just a curious witness to your own experience.

Step two is to breathe.

Take a slow,

Deep breath in,

Gently through the nose,

And exhale ever so slowly through the mouth.

Let that breathing guide you.

Allow it to really let you ground in yourself and reconnect to your body.

Feel your body that's supported by you and by gravity,

And maybe take one more deep breath,

Just like that if you like.

Step three is choosing.

With a little more space and clarity,

Ask yourself,

How do I want to respond to this moment,

To this day,

To this situation,

To whatever is next?

You can choose calm,

You can choose courage,

You can choose presence.

Let whatever arises settle gently in your heart.

You've just taken a pause,

A brief return to yourself,

And from this place,

You get to choose how you move forward.

Carry this awareness with you for whatever comes next.