Hi,
I'm Laia.
This is The Pause,
A moment to slow down,
Settle in,
And meet yourself where you are.
Let's begin.
Choice is a privilege.
Making choices that align with you,
Your values,
And how you want the world to be.
Hello and welcome to The Pause.
I hope you're doing well and that wherever you are,
You can start to feel the shift of the seasons.
I'm a little more alive,
Feeling more ready for the world after what has felt like a long and cold winter.
After all the excitement of publishing my first novel last autumn,
I made the conscious choice to retreat and hibernate a little,
And I feel it's almost time to step back into the light.
Speaking of choice,
I was reminded the other day that having a choice is a privilege,
And it has been living rent-free in my head since.
Every time I get to choose,
Whether it's a small choice or a life-changing one,
I'm exercising my privilege.
And when I look at the world from that lens,
My perspective can't help but shift.
Being privileged doesn't mean that you are always wrong and people without privilege are always right.
It means that there is a good chance you are missing a few very important pieces of the puzzle.
Joma Oluo.
There are important conversations about privilege in terms of race and gender that we must continue to have,
And I also think it is a term to explore at a smaller scale,
Beneath the layers.
Making choices that align.
If I can decide whether to write from home or a coffee shop,
It implies I have the privilege of transportation and the funds.
Having the choice between wearing a turtleneck or a hoodie suggests I have more than one sweater.
Being able to choose who governs my country via democratic vote is also a privilege.
If I can worry over what to make for dinner because I don't know if I want to make tacos,
A rice bowl,
Or just order a pizza,
Again,
Privilege on so many levels.
Life seems to be a game of choices.
The ability to have a choice in what you do is a privilege.
Anton Yelchin.
Having a choice in anything in your life,
Not just what you do for work,
Which is what I think Yelchin was referring to,
But in any small or big decision you get to make is a privilege.
Merriam-Webster has several definitions of the term privilege,
And here are two that I found interesting.
One,
A right or benefit given to some people but not others,
And two,
The advantage that wealthy and powerful people have over other people in a society.
Choice is a privilege and also a responsibility because what we decide to think,
Say,
And do has power,
And it will impact our lives and the lives of those around us.
We're offered options continuously,
From what we do first thing in the morning,
To how we spend our free time,
To where we choose to spend our money.
There are so many decisions we make consciously and unconsciously every day,
And when you understand the privilege it is to be able to make these choices,
You may start to shift what you do and how you do it.
It's all about the why.
If I know why I want to start my day with morning pages,
It will help me choose that healthy habit over mindless scrolling.
When I understand why it matters to me to support a local bookshop instead of an online supplier,
It's easier for me to make an aligned decision when it's time to buy a new book.
Choosing better.
When you want to change a habit,
The way in which you do something or where you invest your energy,
There is a simple exercise that can ease your decision-making process.
Grab a pen and paper and make a list of your values.
You could write your personal and professional values,
But I invite you to write things that make you feel good on a daily basis instead,
Like being able to wear comfy clothing because you work from home,
Or your midday coffee,
Or having a daily yoga practice.
Put them in order of importance in your life right now,
And then every time you have to make a choice,
Pause,
Grab your list,
And see how many boxes each of the choices checks.
The one that checks the most boxes wins.
For example,
You have an unexpected half an hour of free time one evening,
So you could either spend it watching a TV show or doing a short yoga practice.
Before you choose,
Take a breath,
Grab your list,
And see which one of these activities aligns with your values and what helps you feel good daily,
And choose accordingly.
To close,
In a world where we're continuously shown other people's fake perfect lives and told that the more we own,
The more we're worth,
Making choices that align with you,
Your values,
And how you want the world to be is not only a privilege,
But a responsibility.
May we remember again and again to choose intentionally in every situation where we hold that privilege.
Thank you for taking this pause with me.
Until we meet again,
Pause often,
Breathe deeply,
And be kind,
Especially to yourself.
Much love,
Laya.
