Photography and writing are my two passions. They bring me happiness and clarity in a world that can often times feel overwhelming.

I disappeared from this account for almost five years; however, even without the public posts, I continued to take “brakes for beauty” and writing in a journal because it made me happy. I have encountered many people who seem to forget that in the age of social media, true avocations continue regardless of whether or not they are publicized.

When contemplating if I wanted to start blogging again, I reflected on my five year hiatus and the things I have learned. The most eye-opening, was the weight I put on society’s definition of the “all or nothing” mentality. It strikes me as a concept meant for robots rather than people – a robot mantra if you will. Robots can give all or nothing. They have an on/off function. But people? Messy, beautiful humans who have emotions that fluctuate throughout the day? People who get curveballs thrown at them from life? All you have to do is sprinkle in feeling like you can’t keep to your goals (most likely proclaimed when you were in a moment of motivated bliss) and more frustration hits. But what if you were more forgiving of yourself? More kind to yourself? Both qualities increase the chance of being encouraged to try again rather than lean into the “nothing” of the robot mantra.

This brought me to the conclusion that taking a break from something can be incorporated into the more humanized “all or nothing” way of thinking. Technically, wouldn’t stepping away truly encompass the meaning of “all”? Experiencing ALL the things that can happen during a mental or physical journey – including a pause? An interlude that turned you into the person you needed to become so you can continue where you left off.

At this point, I understand some people may disagree and say that “you need the momentum to keep going” or “that taking a break will just make it take longer to reach your goal”. Both true statements to an extent. Just keep in mind, Albert Einstein’s “miracle year” happened when he worked at a patent office. Or for those of you with more physical goals, look into the story of Olympian Betty Robinson and how her “pause” shaped the path to her second gold medal.

Wouldn’t it be ironic if the pause was just fate trying to sync up the timing for something great?