Permission to Pause

Grief has a way of making us feel like we need to keep moving, keep doing, and keep holding everything together. The world doesn’t stop, even when your heart feels shattered, and it’s easy to believe that if you pause—if you allow yourself to stop for even a moment—you’ll fall apart. But here’s the truth: pausing isn’t giving up. It’s giving yourself the space you need to heal.

When you’re grieving, rest isn’t just a break; it’s a lifeline. It’s the moment you allow yourself to feel the weight of your loss without the pressure of having to fix it or carry it perfectly. Resting doesn’t mean you’ve stopped loving or remembering the person you’ve lost. It means you’re taking the time to honor your own needs in the process of healing.

Pausing is where growth begins. It’s where your mind can process the emotions you’ve been carrying, your body can recover from the exhaustion of grief, and your heart can find moments of peace. Even though it feels counterintuitive, stepping away from the chaos of life is one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself.

Grief is exhausting, physically and emotionally. Some days, the simplest tasks feel impossible. The laundry piles up. The dishes sit in the sink. The world around you feels heavy. And yet, in the midst of it all, it’s okay to stop. To sit with a cup of tea. To lay down and close your eyes. To let yourself feel the waves of sorrow without judgment or guilt.

Think of the seasons. Even the most beautiful flowers need time to rest beneath the soil before they can bloom again. Trees shed their leaves and stand bare, not because they’re giving up, but because they’re gathering strength for the season ahead. You are no different.

Grief is messy, and it doesn’t have a timeline. You don’t need to rush through it or carry it perfectly. Giving yourself permission to pause isn’t about avoiding the pain; it’s about creating the space to carry it more gently. Pausing allows you to honor both the depth of your loss and the importance of your healing.

So today, give yourself permission to pause. Release the guilt of needing a break. Let go of the pressure to keep everything together. Trust that in resting, you’re honoring yourself, your emotions, and the memory of the person you’ve lost.

Because taking a moment for yourself isn’t selfish—it’s how you find the strength to keep going. In the stillness, healing begins. 🌿