Much of what we do runs on autopilot, outside of awareness—and that’s not a flaw. It’s how we function efficiently. We tend to pay attention only when something becomes a “squeaky wheel.”
So if we want to pay attention to something that doesn’t seem to require attention, we have to make it engaging. This can’t be done by forcing attention. That approach rarely lasts. We stay engaged only when there’s something to explore, something to process. When there isn’t, the mind naturally disengages.
We need to actively engage attention through curiosity. This is why I call this an active pause.
Pausing is a disruption. We step out of mindless doing and into mindful engagement. We begin paying attention to our inner experience in relation to what we’re doing.
This kind of contemplation isn’t removed from real life; it’s what allows motivation, meaning, and a felt sense of purpose to emerge, moment by moment. In other words, it helps us be ourselves. When I pause, I get a clearer sense of who I am and what I want.
We don’t reliably change through trying harder. We change by engaging the body in ways that develop embodied presence.
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From the podcast
- Beyond Phone Addiction: Mindfulness In The Attention Economy
- Practicing meditation as a living process
The podcast explores personal growth as a living process of mindful change. It features talks and thoughtful conversations with therapists and mindfulness practitioners. See more podcast episodes .
For books, see Active Pause books
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