Time out! What do those words say to you? There are as many ways to take a time out as there are people since we are all different with a variety of ideas on what that means to you.
As a kid it can mean you messed up and have to go to your room or sit in a corner. As an adult sometimes you need to give yourself a ‘time out’ even if you did not make a mistake. So let’s explore some of the ways you can give yourself a time out.
This isn’t about punishment like when you are sent to your room. But that does bring to mind one occurrence in my life that I was sent to my room. I was a senior in high school and had received my SAT scores. I was an honor student and expected a lot from myself for many reasons. However, when I opened the envelope to see how great I had done, my score did not meet my expectations.
It’s neither here nor there what my score was at the time and if I was doing a lie detector test, I still couldn’t recall it. Anyhow, as soon as I saw the score, out of my mouth flew a four letter word, “damn” and my Mom took quick action and sent me to my room. That may not seem like just cause to anyone else but a little FYI, my Dad was a Methodist preacher and my Mom’s dad had been a preacher as well. So not to be tolerated was a word like that in our house.
I digressed of course and let’s get back to a different reference for a ‘time out’. Life can get so crazy busy and we don’t know if we are coming or going or maybe both at the same time. Does that ring true for you? It does for me and in recent years I have become better at giving myself a time out.
For me, that means stopping, listening to music, meditation, going for a drive, taking a walk, reading or finding a movie I enjoy watching. Some people take hikes, take a ride on a bicycle or motorcycle. A horse ride is another way to escape the craziness of life. Now I do not have kids and I can only imagine how difficult it can be for parents who work and have children.
Maybe an escape to a hot tub, a bubble bath with locked doors, a swim, and consider this, sit down in a quiet place and just breathe. Stopping to focus on your breathing is one way to take that time out you need. Our brains go on warp drive in these days and it takes a deliberate effort to put on the brakes before life hits us right between the eyes and forces it on us.
Do yourself a favor and take those ‘time outs’ frequently to come back to your center of reference. Life flies by too fast anyway and I can tell you from my Mom’s recent passing that almost 92 years flew by for her. Consider starting a journal if you don’t already have one.
There are a few thoughts for your consideration readers. Now go to your ‘room’ for a ‘time out’ before life gives you one! Thanks for reading.
