“You can’t outrun a ghost”
(Death Cab for Cutie, “No Room in Frame”)

One of the most difficult barriers to pressing pause is the fear of losing ground. “I can’t pause and think–I’ve already got too much to do and not enough time to do it!”

Forgive me for sounding like a therapist, but perhaps this stated fear is not our actual fear. We may not be running to our next task; we may be running from the expectations of those from our past.

Our fathers who were never satisfied with our effort, or results.

Our mothers who still need us to succeed, so as to validate all their sacrifices on our behalf.

Our teachers, our coaches, our bullies, our exes.

Keeping busy can seem to keep these ghosts from our past at bay; the truth is the more we run, the stronger they chase.

When we pause, however, we can actually name those ghosts. And that’s how we tame them.

Peace begins with pause,