top of page

Learn to stop

Reminding you of a lesson I’ve preached before. Who knows? You might need it again, right now or later this week.


When the world is too much with you, when you feel overwhelmed with anxiety or concern or worry or even the good stuff, like gratitude, when you’re in the middle of a discussion you wish you could escape, when you begin to feel like you’re losing it, remember this; remember to S.T.O.P. When you stop, you check in with yourself. Each letter in the word is part of the key.


S. S is for stop. Stop berating yourself. Stop worrying. Stop what you’re doing for a moment. Really put on the brakes and just stop for a moment. Stop everything.


T. T is for take a breath. Take another, and another, and as many as you need until you are grounded in your body, in the here and now, in just being. Just breathe for a moment, or a minute, or a while.


O. O is for observe. Notice what's going on within. Note your own judgment about your own abilities, limitations (real or imagined), stamina and mood. Even if you are catching yourself at a happy moment, take the time to observe how it feels. This one's important. Observe your internal "weather report." Is it gloomy? Sunny? Lightning? A hurricane? Take note. It matters.


P. P is for proceed. Now that you've stopped, breathed and observed, you are in a much better place to move forward. 


STOP is easy to remember and an intuitive acronym to recall at the time you need it. Learning to stop is a great mental health skill. Practice it. If you practice in easy times, you’ll be better prepared for the hard times. Tuck it into your back pocket, next to your phone, and pull out all the stops whenever you need some joyful noise.

 

8/5/24

 

Comments

bottom of page