Stop for a Moment

What do you do to catch your breath? stop for a moment? regroup? stay focused? This may be a daily challenge as national and international events affect us at breakneck speed. It gets personal. Our own psyche and nervous system get riled up.

I heard this week that quotations are one of the most popular postings on Facebook. They are short, maybe a single line or sentence. Many attempt to keep us positive, keep us going and keep us hopeful. However, our social media may also contain negative postings, opinions carved in stone, hurtful comments.

We need to take a break from our social media during the day. That’s a start. This past weekend I saw “A Star is Born” at the movie theater. Yes, I am one who likes to see movies on the big screen, to be in an environment in which that is all that is happening. It is a great movie with wonderful performances, totally engaging from beginning to end. I did note, because I couldn’t help it, that the woman sitting in front of me had her phone on the entire time. She dimmed the screen but kept it on her lap and looked at it periodically, so she wouldn’t miss. . . miss what? A text or tweet?

We want to get away from the news, take a break. But then we impulsively look at our phone, check into social media. Are we concerned we will miss something? Or is it a mindless think we do without really thinking about it?

I recommend we do think about it, take some time to find a bit of stillness in our day. Stop for a minute or two. Literally stop. Look around, up at the clouds. Watch the leaves falling off the trees. Join the old practice of people-watching.

I applaud you who are being mindful, finding stillness by getting out of your house and joining a class — yoga, meditation, tai chi. Join others who are taking an hour to find stillness which will reduce stress and anxiety. For me, teaching Tai Chi and being with students are are breathing and moving slowly to be in the moment is a wonderful way to develop tools for coping, for being healthy in body, mind and spirit.

What are you doing to catch your breath and stop for a moment? What do you do to manage your time on your phone or TV. Please share so others may benefit.