Someone asks something of you.

Before you have had a moment to feel what is true, you hear yourself say yes.

Or perhaps an email arrives and your body tightens. A decision needs to be made, and you feel pressure to find the answer immediately.

These responses can happen so quickly that we barely notice them. Beneath them may be the fear of disappointing someone, losing connection, or no longer being seen as good, loving, or helpful.

What would happen if, before responding, you gave yourself permission to pause?

Creating Space to Hear Yourself

In a recent conversation on the Embodied podcast, I spoke with physician and author Dr. Lissa Rankin about her book RelationSick. We explored how our closest relationships affect our physical and emotional health, especially when we have learned to overgive, overfunction, or abandon ourselves in order to belong.

One of the things Lissa shared has stayed with me:

The first step in changing these patterns is simply to pause.

To hear what is...