Fridgesays quote

A pause can last a moment or a lifetime.

As we head in to the last quarter of 2026, as the seasons alter- it makes sense to pause, if we don’t we might miss the beauty around us.

The pause I’m suggesting isn’t a lifetime and perhaps it only lasts an hour or over a weekend, but before the social calendar of Halloween, bonfire nights and Christmas calls…have a pause.

In this pause I recommend you ignore thoughts to the future, reflecting on the past or any time of setting goals. In fact, I recommend you do absolutely nothing.

For some this looks like a duvet, snacks and a movie, marinading yourself in not socialising and dressing to not leave the house, for others it looks like leaving the technology behind and going for a long walk. Undisturbed in nature is my personal favourite, the Mr and I have been doing this on a Sunday for the last few weeks. We walk for about four hours and go through forests, live stock fields and follow public pathways exploring the countryside and ignoring any conversations that involve anything other than right where we are. We don’t take phones and knowing we won’t be disturbed is part of the joy.

Back to the pause…I’m recommending doing very little as the modern world often requires high levels of engagement and attention. To pause is to fill your own cup up and take a break from the world. To notice the season change or like I mentioned earlier to snuggle down and watch a movie that doesn’t require anything in return.

Stay in pause and you’ve become stagnant and that doesn’t serve anyone, mostly yourself. The world will move on without you and when you need to move you’ll find the process hard and daunting. That said, I think most people move so quickly trying to reach goals in their careers, social lives, exercise and many other aspects that they miss all the beauty in the in between moments, so take a leaf from Autumn, slow it down for a moment, look around and soak up the now – pause is a moment in time you never regret.