By Dr. Lisa
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.”
– Anne Lamott
The Pause Is Not a Weakness
We live in a world that worships hustle. We’re told that staying busy means staying relevant. That rest is lazy. That stillness means falling behind. But what if giving yourself permission to pause is the very strategy we’ve been overlooking?
This isn’t about quitting. It’s about strategic stillness — and this post is your “permission slip” to pause. Not from me. From yourself.
Confession: I haven’t blogged in two weeks. And that pause? It wasn’t just a scheduling issue — it was sacred. That space reminded me how far I’d drifted from one of the core rituals that anchors me: my daily devotionals. That spiritual nourishment is the thing that clears the fog and helps me focus. Without it, I can get a lot done — but not the “right” things done.
Why Pausing Works
Our brain has a built-in clarity engine. It’s called the Default Mode Network — the system that activates during moments of wakeful rest. Research shows that when you slow down, creativity increases, memory consolidates, and decision-making sharpens. In other words, brain needs idle time to process complex information and integrate insights.
According to Harvard Medical School, these intentional pauses increase access to insight-based problem solving by 33%
Translation: when you pause, your mind gets to work in deeper ways. You’re not being idle. You’re being intentional.
From My Life: The Vision That Came in Stillness
It was around 12:11 a.m., and I was working on a piece of my business. In the back of my mind, a recent comment kept looping: someone said they wouldn’t hire a dual-career agent — a ‘parallel path professional’ — because they lacked commitment. That comment wouldn’t let me go.
Within the next 24 to 48 hours, a blueprint exploded from my spirit. Titles. Layouts. Purpose. That was the night Misfits Magazine was born. Not from a plan. From a pause. From the sacred quiet where I could finally hear what was always inside of me.
The Transformation Framework: Clarity in the Pause
Inside my coaching program,, we don’t start with hustle. We start with “vision*. And vision doesn’t show up when you’re rushing. It arrives when you’re ready to listen.
Here’s the exact method I teach:
1. Step 1: Release – Cancel what’s not urgent. Make space.
2. Step 2: Reflect – Ask: What truth am I avoiding? Sit with it.
3. Step 3: Receive – Journal. Pray. Let the vision come.
I’ve watched clients move from chaos to clarity with these three steps. Not because they did more. But because they slowed down long enough to hear what mattered.
The Leadership Lesson: Stillness Is a Discipline
Let me say this plainly: You don’t need permission from the world to rest — but you might need permission from yourself.
We are taught that forward motion is the only motion. That is a lie.
Vision requires rest.
Insight requires quiet.
Transformation requires space.
And sometimes, what you need most isn’t a new task but a new truth.
My 2 Cents
You don’t always need more drive — sometimes you need more direction.
And direction is born in silence. This week, I hope you give yourself full permission to pause — not because you’re tired, but because you’re building with intention.