The thing I’ve noticed about the holiday season is the friction.
Longer lines. More traffic. Out-of-stock shelves.
Frustrated faces in the frozen food aisle.
Everyone is rushing to get to the "next thing."
But lately, the waiting has become a gift.
It forces me to pause.
Even if it’s just 17 minutes in a grocery line, I’ve started using that time to think.
In the grand scheme of things, the "pause" is a powerful human tool.
It’s our ability to reflect on our lives without the pressure of a deadline or the need to "just get it done."
That’s what December is to me now: a month-long pause.
It’s when I look back at the goals I set in January.
The ones that took off The ones that stayed on the runway.
Both shaped my perspective.
And I get to do it all again next year.
On the surface, these moments look like inconveniences.
In reality, they are mini-sessions of walking meditation.
I’m grateful for the pause.
I’m even grateful for the things that didn't happen.
Not because I wasn’t trying, but because I showed up.
Whether it worked out or not is secondary to the fact that I was there.
Denzel Washington once said, "You all have the talent to make it, but do you have the guts to get back up when you’re down?"
That speaks to me.
Whether you call it downtime, a "learning year," or magic that just didn't have enough Chemical X (Powerpuff Girls represent), it’s all part of the process.
So this year, I'm not just waiting in line.
I'm leaning into the pause.
ready to work together?