Pause Blog On Overload, Overwhelm & Life In General

In each of the last four years of Pause messages, I’ve ended the year with reflections on one key word. Peace, joy, love and hope have all taken a turn in the spotlight.

As an unsettling 2008 winds to a bumpy close, I’d like to invite you to focus on yet another powerful concept: grace.

Grace is often defined with words like elegance, beauty, charm. But, to me, those are its more superficial expressions.  

At a deeper level, grace is more about connecting to life’s richest undercurrents, smoothing life’s rough patches, and making life’s journey easier for ourselves and for those with whom we travel. In that light, grace is more about kindness and compassion.

I hope you enjoy reflecting on a few of my favorite quotes on grace. May you find many moments of grace and ease in the days and months that lie ahead.

Warmest wishes from my family to yours, for a peaceful year end and a prosperous and grace-filled 2009, Pat Read More…

Posted under Life in General, Pause E-zines

REFLECTION: The way that services continue to evolve amazes me. Three cases in point.

1. The Katz Family Christmas Photo letter.  In previous years, it took hours and hours to cut and paste prints into the final collage. Then I’d drive the hard copy to the print shop, and return a couple of days later to pick up the copies. The process usually involved two road trips and a delay in the middle. 

Last weekend I created this year’s version using only digital images, emailed a pdf of the final product to the print shop, and an hour later was notified that 60 color copies were ready for pick up.  So much easier! (Yes, I know, I could just email to friends and family instead of printing at all; but call me traditional, I still like finding treasures in my mailbox this time of year and assume others might as well.)

2. New photos are afoot for my website and business materials. In previous years, the process involved three meetings: one for planning, one for the shoot itself, and a follow up meeting to review the results. Read More…

Posted under Life in General, Pause E-zines

REFLECTION: If there was ever a time that called for optimism, this could be it. The media brings daily reports of disaster or potential disaster, and it can be a challenge to hold an optimistic outlook in the face of layoffs and nose-diving markets

That’s probably why  Price Pritchett’s book, Hard Optimism, called to me from the bookstore shelves. It’s an easy read – and Pritchett does a good job of positioning optimism as a not so secret weapon in creating a much more positive future. Read More…

Posted under Life in General, Pause E-zines

I caught these signs on a recent business trip to Toronto (AKA – The Big Smoke).

The first sign, Crisis Station, was prominently featured on various pillars in an underground parkade at the exhibition grounds.

Oddly enough, the fact that there was a need for a Crisis Station didn’t do much to reassure me on the safety front!

The second sign appeared under the wall mount sprinkler head in my room at the Downtown Marriott hotel. In case you’re having trouble reading the fine print, it says, “Contact With Sprinkler Will Cause Flooding.”

Clearly there’s a story behind this sign – and I expect it wouldn’t have been much fun being there to see the situation played out!

Posted under Life in General, Miscellaneous, Travel

REFLECTION:  In my work with clients to reduce the impact of overload and overwhelm in their lives and workplaces, I’ve noticed how easily those quick fix responses to constant pressures become the daily MO (modus operandi).

Many of those expedient choices work against long term goals like personal and organizational health, productivity and sustainability.

Pausing to be more thoughtful about our choices and actions is a first step in short-circuiting that disconnect. Read More…

Posted under Life Balance, Overload & Overwhelm, Pause E-zines