Your Mind Fully Present - Finding Humanity and Discernment in the Pause
- Annie Ranger
- Sep 24
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 27
Finding Humanity and Discernment in the Pause - Your Mind Fully Present
Does it feel like life is speeding up? I feel it—and friends tell me they do too. It doesn’t help that everything demands a quick reaction. Text notifications, news, and social feeds overflow with sound bites, while real conversation feels harder and harder to find.
Too often, instead of learning from one another, conversations slip into a pattern of my way or the highway… I’m right, you’re wrong. Real dialogue fades, and division takes its place. In the rush to be “right,” many don’t even notice their own anger or fear—or the hypocrisy hidden in the very words they speak.
And in all the noise, we’ve lost sight of something essential: our humanity. Where is the kindness? The compassion? The curiosity?
Lessons from Voices Around the World
A few years ago, I spent a week at the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67). I attended as part of the Heart Ambassadors for a foundation with close ties to the HeartMath Institute.
After listening to women from all over the world, I walked away with lessons that were surprisingly simple, yet profoundly powerful: the importance of teaching reading (at least to third-grade level is crucial), cultivating humanity, and practicing discernment.
And here’s what struck me most—these weren’t just global issues. They are the very same things we risk losing here at home—when sound bites replace facts, when compassion is drowned out by noise, when our education system struggles, and when division and hypocrisy take hold.
My grandfather used to remind me with a simple saying: “A camel can’t see his own hump.” We are quick to point out flaws in others but slow to pause and reflect on our own. That wisdom feels more relevant than ever. And by the way—I include myself in this! My family would be the first to happily chime in.
Today, in the news and on social media, it can feel like everyone is trying to prove their perspective is the only right one. Real dialogue has been replaced with division.
I’m not saying this is true everywhere or of everyone—there are so many kind, loving people out there. In fact, there are more caring and compassionate people than not. They’re just not always as loud. And in an environment fueled by fear and anger, it’s easy for any of us to slip into the fight-or-flight stress response.
That is where the pause becomes life changing.
The Pause Is More Than Silence
A pause is not weakness or inaction. It is strength. One intentional breath reconnects us to our heart, our intuition, and to something greater—God, Source, the Universe, or simply Love. From that place of grounded clarity, we can think more critically, speak with kindness, and respond with compassion instead of reactivity.
The pause is where reason and intuition meet. It’s where research and discernment join with love and wisdom. The pause is where we rediscover our humanity and discernment—where the mind can be fully present. We can find unity instead of division.
Why This Matters Now
Stress narrows our attention and pushes us into fight-or-flight. When we pause, the nervous system shifts. The thinking brain comes back online. From there, we can:
Ask questions before accepting what we’re told
Reading matters. Research not only the message, but the people and intentions behind it
Choose conversation over combat
Lead with curiosity instead of certainty
This is how humanity finds its way back—through mindful moments of discernment, connection, and care.
A 60-Second Pause Practice
The next time you feel rushed, reactive, or pressured to pick a side:
Plant your feet into the ground or floor.
Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 counts.
Hold for 4 counts.
Exhale gently through your mouth for 6–8 counts.
Notice what’s happening inside of you and around you.
Place a hand on your heart and whisper:
“I choose curiosity over certainty and judgment.”
“I connect to love.”
“I can pause and discern.”
Ask yourself: What is the most compassionate, honest next step?
Even one round can shift your energy. Three rounds can transform it.
A Call Back to Humanity
The pause doesn’t silence your voice. It strengthens it—with clarity, compassion, and truth.
When we pause, we create space not only for compassion but also for curiosity. That space allows us to see differences with fresh eyes. What if everyone could see diversity—in thoughts, experiences, and appearances—not as something to fear, but as something to learn from, to find interesting, and even to celebrate?
We don’t need to agree on everything. But we can learn to disagree without anger or dehumanizing. We can return to kindness, conversation, and critical thinking. And we can anchor ourselves in love, wisdom, and discernment rather than fear or division.
As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminded us:
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
Below, I’ve included a short guided Love Meditation. It’s a simple way to practice the pause and reconnect with your heart anytime you need it. It is the kids version but it is perfect for adults too!
A closing affirmation:“I pause. I breathe. I connect to love and my truth, my inner wisdom. I choose compassion and clarity in what I consume, share, and say.”
Remember: Pause. Breathe. Shift. And grab the happiness.
If this spoke to you, I’d love if you shared it with someone else who might need a pause today.
