Pause & Process for Pleasure and Peace: Fight, Flight, Freeze and Flying

Life moves fast, and it’s easy to get caught up in the chaos. But have you ever truly stopped to pause and process? When we don’t take time to slow down, our nervous system can become overwhelmed, leading to reactive patterns like fight, flight, or freeze.

Imagine a jar filled with glitter. If you shake it, everything swirls around in confusion—just like our thoughts and emotions during stressful moments. But when you let it sit still, the glitter settles, revealing clarity. This is exactly what happens when we take the time to pause and process.


Resets Your Nervous System – It takes 20 to 30 minutes for our nervous system to settle after stress if nothing new happens. Without this reset, we remain stuck in a cycle of emotional overwhelm.
Builds Emotional Strength – Pausing allows us to reconnect with our innate intelligence, tuning into sensations and cues that help us move forward.
Enhances Decision-Making – When we don’t process emotions, they cloud our judgment, making it harder to navigate life’s challenges.

We all have a natural bias toward action, but sometimes, the best way to move forward is to pause first. Take a deep breath, settle your thoughts, and create space for more peace and pleasure in your life.





Positive Reframe shares resources with the intent of the positive progression of informed decision-making related to issues associated with emotional, relational, physical, and spiritual wellness. While I share personal and professional perspectives, my writings reflect my personal opinion and are not intended to substitute professional advice, diagnosis, and treatment thus the content shared on this page is for informational purposes only. This online medium does not lend itself to the level of detail and rapport building required for thorough assessment and therapeutic intervention. To make well-informed decisions that best meet your family’s unique needs, I highly recommend exploring and researching available options, consulting primary healthcare providers, engaging in respectful dialogue with friends and family as well as seek referrals from a trusted source for professional counseling. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Illinois, USA.

Leave a Reply