Welcome to 3-2-1 Tuesdays with Better Wellness Naturally- The Power of the Pause
- Admin
- Sep 16
- 5 min read
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Quick bits of therapeutic info and learning, ideas, concepts, and quotes.
Brought to you by Better Wellness Naturally
3: Keys
2: Concepts
1: Quick Article
“Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.” — Hermann Hesse
3 Keys
The pause isn’t empty—it’s sacred: Sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is stop. Not because we’re giving up, but because something deep inside is asking us to breathe. To feel. To just be. It’s in that stillness—away from the noise and rush that we can finally hear ourselves again. We notice what’s been quietly aching for our attention. We reconnect with our truth. That pause isn’t wasted time. It’s where realignment begins.
Nature knows how to hold us: When things feel heavy or loud, nature has a way of gently bringing us back to center. The sound of leaves rustling, the warmth of the sun, the steady rhythm of waves—it all reminds us that we belong here. In those quiet outdoor moments, we remember that we’re part of something bigger. We’re not just existing, we’re being held by something wise and timeless. You don’t have to explain your pain to the trees or the sky—they just listen. And sometimes, that’s all we need.
Connection heals what chaos hides: When we slow down, a lot can come to the surface—grief, fear, uncertainty. And it’s in those raw spaces that connection matters most. A quiet conversation. A warm hug. A shared silence.
Healing doesn’t always need words. Sometimes, just being with someone who gets it—someone who can sit beside your storm without trying to fix it is what allows your nervous system to settle. Even connecting with yourself in stillness can remind you: you’re safe, and you’re not walking this alone.
A Couple of Concepts
Inner Stillpoint: This is the moment when everything inside you pauses—not just your body, but your thoughts, your expectations, and your need to “do.” At the retreat, many found their inner stillpoint—a personal space of calm where clarity returns. It's not about escaping life but meeting it from a grounded, spacious center. Think of it as your internal anchor. When you find it, you move through life with more ease and presence. In a world that praises busyness, finding your stillpoint is a quiet act of self-respect.
Emotional Exhale: We all carry more than we realize—unspoken worries, pressure to keep it together, silent expectations. But healing doesn’t always come from doing more. Sometimes, it begins with a single, conscious exhale. Emotional Exhale is the moment your heart finally unclenches. It's when you give yourself permission to let go—not by force, but by grace. Through stillness, breath, or honest pause, you create space to release what no longer serves you.
This isn’t weakness. It’s wisdom. Every emotional exhale makes room for peace, clarity, and the courage to begin again.
A Quick Overview: Making Space to Heal
There comes a moment—sometimes quiet, sometimes born out of chaos— when the only way forward is to pause.
It doesn’t look heroic. It isn’t flashy. To the outside world, it may even seem like nothing is happening. But inside, something begins to shift. The noise quiets. The breath deepens. And for the first time in a long while, there’s space to feel… and to heal.
In trauma recovery, this pause is essential. When constantly rushing, striving, or surviving, the nervous system doesn’t have the chance to integrate. But in a state of pause, the body begins to downshift from hypervigilance into safety. Cortisol levels decrease, heart rate slows, and the mind becomes more able to process emotions rather than avoid them. Even a few mindful moments a day—whether through breath, meditation, yoga, or silence can begin to restore balance in the body and brain.
It’s not about perfection; it’s about presence. It’s a process… And, remember the Process IS the Point.
Pausing also invites a different kind of clarity. Not the kind that comes from overthinking or overworking but the kind that emerges when one simply listens. It’s often in those quiet spaces that truth rises, unfiltered by fear or expectation.
This work is not easy. It takes courage to stop. To feel. To choose stillness over distraction. But in that choice lies the possibility of healing.
We saw this unfold so powerfully during the Storms of Change Healing Retreat I facilitated at Imiloa Institute in Costa Rica, July 12–17.
It was a sacred space where stillness met movement, silence met soul. Through healing activities, immersive workshops, and deeply intentional practices, participants were able to pause—and in doing so, reconnect with the parts of themselves that had long been waiting to be heard.
It was more than a pause—it was a reclamation. We explored stillness, play, story, and self-inquiry. We shed layers. We softened. We witnessed one another’s strengths and vulnerabilities.
We don’t need to escape our Self to find peace. We just need to make space for peace. And when we do, we remember that healing isn’t something we chase—it’s something we allow.
It was an honor to witness those moments of awakening, release, and clarity. Storms passed. And something new began to rise.
References:
van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma.
Ogden, P., Minton, K., & Pain, C. (2006). Trauma and the Body: A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy.
Siegel, D. J. (2012). The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness.
Siegel, D. J. (2010). The Mindful Therapist: A Clinician’s Guide to Mindsight and Neural Integration.
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by Laura Weber Garrison, PhD
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