The Power of Pause for Creative Leaders

As the winter and holiday season descends upon us, your mind may start to feel distracted and overwhelmed. During these busy times, navigating the pressures of the season makes it essential that we practice the act of self-preservation.

We are constantly on the move toward our next destination, yet the power of pausing is immense. This is because we, more than anything, need to take time to reset and relax. But before we can do so, we must reflect. Self-care and self-preservation are vital to this process, as we must tend to our flame to protect it from burning out.

Productivity involves using your time wisely, whether to take action or to rest. It all serves one ultimate goal: creation. Even when you pause to tend to yourself, you are making productivity a priority by putting yourself first.

The American writer, poet, and activist Audre Lorde once said, “If I didn't define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people's fantasies for me and eaten alive.”

This is why self-care and self-preservation are so important. We live in a world where you are assigned different roles from the moment you come into existence: child, friend, teen, peer, adult, associate, colleague, and so on.

With each interaction, our lives intertwine with others. In these dynamics, there is an inherent exchange of giving and receiving.

Self-preservation through self-care is the root of our foundation; it is how we uplift and protect our own peace. If we constantly yield to the needs and demands of the world around us, we risk losing ourselves and, in turn, having nothing left to give—not to anyone else, and most importantly, not to ourselves.

Be mindful of this, and don’t forget: self-care is a step, not a stop.