Pause Blog On Overload, Overwhelm & Life In General

REFLECTION: When I first started writing and speaking about the power of pause and its ability to restore a rhythm of renewal to life, I discovered a couple of common objections.

First, people would immediately assume that pausing meant coming to a complete halt, seeking solitary confinement, and doing absolutely nothing. Wrong. Pausing really means stepping away from what drains your energy and engaging in something that fills your tank. Some times, for some people, solitude and silence do the trick; for others that approach just drives them crazy.

Secondly, people thought they needed to commit a BIG chunk of time to pausing for it to have any significant benefit. Wrong. Even a few seconds to reset the shoulders or the reset mindset can make a major difference in the flow of the day. Read More…

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

What better way to wile away a few hours on a cold Saskatchewan winter evening than by painting up a little main street Venice.

This painting: The Grand Canal – Waiting For The Gondoliers.

Posted under Artwork, Travel

REFLECTION: So here we are in Vancouver, strolling along the walkway on English Bay near the Sylvia Hotel, headed to catch a ferry to Granville Island. Although it’s an overcast day and a bit on the cool side, there’s no rain and very little wind. It’s a great day to be alive and a fabulous day to be at liberty.

No sooner do I lift my eyes to the sky in appreciation, than … whack…smack…splat!  I’m assaulted full on (hair, cheek, chin, and neck) by a king-sized slimy torpedo of sea gull poop.

Apparently the gull was travelling at Mach One. The impact resembled a high-velocity stealth attack with a soaking wet dishrag. Any of you who recall having fought with siblings while you were supposed to be washing the supper dishes know exactly what I’m talking about!

It took me by surprise, to say the least. Sure, I’d noticed there were plenty of gulls in the air and pigeons in the trees. The possibility that one of them might have a contract out on me had never crossed my mind. Read More…

Posted under Life in General, Pause E-zines, Travel

REFLECTION: Whose responsibility is it to create reasonable life and work loads? Yours, mine, ours or somebody else’s?

It’s a good question and one that was raised by a Pause reader who observed that some people deal with overload head on and try to change the situation by talking with superiors. Others believe that overload is just the way things are, and set out to try to do it all.

In the reader’s opinion, it’s a two way street. Others aren’t always going to know you, or know what you are capable of at the moment. So they may test capacity by pushing a certain amount, to get the best out of you, to move you beyond your boundaries. Still, when the load becomes too heavy for too long, its detrimental to performance and relationships.

And that’s when each one of us has to take responsibility and voice when it’s just too much. Read More…

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

REFLECTION: This week’s Pause message is a bit of a departure from the usual directions. Dave and I are taking a mid winter break, spending a few days in Vancouver, celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary.( I know! I know! Where did that time go?)

Normally, I’d take a break from Pause on an occasion like this, but when I posted last week’s message, giving notice slipped my mind.

So here we are. You’re expecting your regular Wednesday message, and I’m committed to delivering one.

As I walked the seawall around Stanley Park, I pondered what to write about – eventually settling on what we’re focused on this weekend – celebrating relationship.

35 years is a long time for any kind of partnership – marriage, business, or otherwise. And, for what it’s worth, here are ten of the relationship lessons we’ve learned so far. Read More…

Posted under Life in General, Pause E-zines

As someone prairie born and prairie raised, there is a certain set of sounds I associate with the middle of winter. The squeak of the snow under your feet at minus forty degrees. The sound of the wind howling around the corners of the eaves in the midst of a blizzard. The electrical whoosh of the Northern Lights in the still of the night.

Today I find myself on the west coast, enjoying Vancouver, in the deep of winter – learning a whole new set of sounds. As I walk the sea wall around Stanley Park, I am intrigued by a cracking and clacking.

It takes me a while to realize it’s the sound of the crows picking clams off the beach at low tide and dropping them on the sidewalk. The shells crack as they roll, opening up to provide a tasty lunch for the inventive birds.

Now that’s a sound I’ll never hear in wintry Saskatoon.

Posted under Life in General, Miscellaneous, Nature, Travel