Hit Pause or Hit a Wall

When was the last time you just stopped? Not a quick social media break or a mindless TV binge, but a full-on pause? If you’re struggling to remember, you’re not alone! if life is a race, then most of us are sprinting through it without ever catching our breath. But here’s the kicker—if you don’t hit pause, life or your health will eventually hit you. And trust me, it’s not going to be pretty!

The Hustle Myth

We’ve been sold this ridiculous idea that productivity equals worth. Our hustle culture has brainwashed us into believing that slowing down is equal to weakness. We wear busyness like a badge of honor, showing off our exhaustion like it’s some kind of medal. Spoiler alert: It’s not. The constant grind will not make you superhuman. It will make you miserable.

You see, the hustle myth feeds our egos, but it starves our souls. It tricks us into thinking that if we just work hard enough, do enough, achieve enough, then we’ll find real happiness. But where’s the joy in rushing through life like you’re trying to outrun a pack of coyotes? At some point, you need to stop and ask yourself—what the heck is the point? Why are you running?

Your Emotional Health is Begging for a Break

Your emotional health isn’t just something nice to have. It’s something essential to protect. We spend so much time ignoring the warning signs: anxiety that’s a constant hum in the background, irritability that turns us into snapping turtles with fangs like Dracula, and an underlying sense of dread that never seems to go away. These are some of the alarm bells, friends, and for many of us they’re getting louder.

When was the last time you checked in with yourself emotionally? Do you even remember what it feels like to be at peace? Probably not, because you’ve been too busy filling every waking moment with distractions! How do I know? Because that’s me too. But your emotions, our emotions, don’t just disappear. They pile up, and eventually, they’ll demand your attention—usually in the form of a breakdown of some sort.

You can avoid that breakdown by taking control now. That means hitting pause, sitting with your emotions, and actually dealing with them. It’s not easy. It’s uncomfortable. But it’s necessary. Because if you don’t, you’ll be dragging that emotional baggage through life like a dead body.

Mental Health is Not a Luxury

But it’s not just emotional health! Your mental health isn’t a luxury either. It’s not something you can just shove to the side while you focus on “more important” things. There is nothing more important than your mental well-being. Full stop.

The problem is, we often treat our minds like a computer that can keep running as long as we don’t reboot it. We shove more and more into it, thinking it can handle everything without crashing. News flash: your brain isn’t a machine, and burnout is real. And once you’re burned out, it’s not easy to bounce back.

Think of it this way—if you’re running on fumes mentally, everything else in your life is going to suffer. Your relationships, your work, your faith—they’ll all start crumbling because you didn’t take the time to pause, reflect, and recharge. Mental health isn’t something you can “deal with later.” Later will be too late.

Perfect the Pause

So, how do you hit pause? It’s simpler than you think, but it requires intentionality. Start by carving out time every day—yes, every day—to stop. I’m not talking about filling your pause with another activity like scrolling through social media or watching TV. I mean really pause.

Sit in silence. Pray. Breathe. Reflect. Do something that feeds you. It doesn’t have to be for hours, but it does have to be consistent. Use this time to reconnect with yourself, with God, and with what truly matters. Because if you don’t, life will steamroll you, and all the busyness in the world won’t save you from burnout.

The harsh reality is that no one is going to give you permission to hit pause. You’re going to have to claim it for yourself. The world will always demand more from you, but you don’t have to give in. You’re allowed to slow down. You’re allowed to rest. You’re allowed to take care of yourself.

So stop waiting for the right time or the perfect conditions because that will never happen. The time to pause is now. Take a break before life breaks you. You owe it to yourself, and trust me, you’ll be better for it.