Learning to Pause: How Reflection Helps Us Move Forward

Growing up, I loved being by the sea, regardless of the season. If there’s an ocean nearby, I’ll be there with my coffee. The sea makes me more honest with myself, prompting reflection on where I am, who I’m becoming, and what I need to work on. Life moves fast and won’t pause to let us catch up. That used to overwhelm me, but I learned the way forward is to slow down and understand myself. That’s why meditation and journaling became essential for me.

After embracing meditation, I noticed significant changes in how I approached my thoughts. Meditation slowly taught me to sit with my thoughts rather than constantly trying to distract myself from them. At first, it was uncomfortable; I wasn’t used to silence or facing what was going on in my mind. But the more I practised, the more I learned how to breathe through the stress and separate what I feel in the moment from what I know to be true. That skill makes adversity less intimidating. It’s not that challenges disappear; you stop letting them control the entire narrative. You must train your mind to distinguish what the honest thoughts are, and what are the “fake thoughts”. If you can control your mind, you can do anything in this world.

Building on what I learned from meditation, journaling came into my life almost naturally. Writing helped me track my patterns, emotions, and reactions. It showed me where I was growing, where I was stuck, and what I needed to change. When life threw something unexpected at me, journaling reminded me that I had already gotten through difficult moments before and that adapting is part of being human. We don’t stay the same, and honestly, I don’t think we’re supposed to. As humans, we need to learn to adapt to whatever life throws at us.

The truth is, life won’t slow down for you. It keeps moving, shifting, and evolving, whether you feel ready or not. But reflection gives you the clarity to move with it rather than feel left behind. As I continue developing Aziz Wellbeing, this idea becomes more meaningful to me: growth isn’t about having everything figured out, it’s about staying open, adapting, and choosing to keep going even when things feel uncertain. The world won’t wait for us, but that doesn’t mean we need to get lost in the chaos. By staying mindful, taking time to reflect, and committing to small intentional habits, we can shape our own journey and move forward with purpose. I encourage you to pause, reflect, and believe in your ability to grow, no matter how quickly life moves.