When life asks you to pause…
If you’ve found yourself feeling a little off course lately — perhaps less energised, less focused, overwhelmed, or simply in need of a moment to breathe — know that you’re not alone.
Recently, life threw some unexpected curveballs my way. And rather than push through on autopilot, I did what might feel counterintuitive when you run your own business:
I stepped back.
I got quiet. I listened. I let myself feel what was there to be felt.
This pause wasn’t about giving up — it was about making space. For recalibration and for being human.
Because sometimes, life asks us to pause. And when it does, we have a choice: to resist it, or to soften into it.
You are not a machine — and your mind isn’t the enemy
When you're led by purpose and passion, it's tempting to believe you should always be performing. Always productive. Always present online.
But the mind doesn’t work that way.
It’s full of noise. Opinions. Predictions. Fears.
And in difficult times, it can get loud.
You might hear thoughts like:
“You’re falling behind.”
“Everyone else is doing more than you.”
“You should be able to handle this.”
“You should be able to push through…”
Here’s the key: you don’t need to argue with those thoughts.
You just don’t need to obey them.
This is one of the central ideas of Acceptance and Commitment Theory — that we can learn to notice our thoughts without fusing with them. We don’t have to push them away, or make them go quiet. We simply stop giving them the power to run the show.
Permission to feel, without losing direction
The compassionate mindset isn’t just about self-care (though that matters).
It’s about learning to be with your experience, without getting stuck in it.
Yes — you can allow space for rest, sadness, confusion.
And yes — you can still gently keep hold of what matters to you.
This is the heart of values-based action: choosing to move in the direction of what’s meaningful, even when it’s hard. Even if it’s slow. Even when your inner critic is on full volume.
Sometimes, the action aligned with your values might be the pause.
The reset. The walk outside. The choice to write a little less and listen a little more.
Re-entry without the rush
As I ease my way back into work — slowly, gently, without rushing — I’m reminding myself that momentum isn’t the same as speed.
This isn’t about bouncing back. It’s about returning with presence.
You don’t have to bulldoze your way back into your business. You can choose your next step — no matter how small — in a way that honours what you need and what matters to you.
And that’s the beautiful thing, we can stop waiting to “feel better” before we live better.
We live better by listening more fully to what our moment is offering us — and then responding with intention.
A gentle reminder, from my pause to yours
If you’re navigating a tough season right now, here’s what I invite you to hold:
You’re not behind — you’re in process.
You’re not failing — you’re feeling.
You don’t need fixing — you need space.
You’re allowed to retreat. You’re allowed to rest.
You’re allowed to do what you need to do, your way.
Your mind might offer all kinds of narratives about what this pause means. Let them be there. And then gently re-centre on what matters to you, underneath the noise.
Because at the end of the day, your business doesn’t need you to be perfect.
It needs you to be present. Aligned. Human.
And the more you learn to lead from that place — with compassion, with clarity, with committed action — the more sustainable and meaningful your business becomes.
Ready to learn how to navigate your mind instead of being ruled by it?
I help passion-led business owners make peace with their thoughts and reconnect with their purpose — so they can take bold, authentic action, even when things feel messy.
Let’s make your mind your best business partner.