Pause Like a Pro: Lessons from My Dog on Stillness and Success

As a business coach, I’m constantly talking to high-performers—people in motion, people in charge, people pushing for more. But here's the thing: success without stillness leads to burnout. Growth without grounding leads to chaos. And clarity? It never shows up in the noise.

That’s why I’ve learned something surprisingly profound from my dog, Cooper.

Cooper knows how to chill. He doesn’t rush. He doesn’t apologize for taking a break. He lounges in the sun. He stretches slowly. He breathes deeply. And somehow, he knows exactly when to spring into action.

What if we did the same?

The Power of Recalibration

Every day, we make a thousand decisions—strategic, emotional, and reactive. And when we don’t pause to recalibrate, we start running on autopilot. That’s when mistakes creep in. That’s when stress gets normalized. That’s when joy gets buried under a never-ending to-do list.

But when you intentionally take 5-15 minutes to be silent, to unplug, to just be—you give yourself the chance to reset. You come back to center. You reconnect with what matters most.

Here’s What You Can Do Today:

• Schedule silence. Literally block off 10 minutes to sit in stillness. No phone. No talking. Just listen—to your breath, your thoughts, or the birds outside.
• Breathe like Cooper. Dogs don’t shallow-breathe through their chest; they breathe deeply. Do the same. It signals your nervous system to relax.
• Re-center mid-day. Don’t wait until burnout. Reset before the crash. Take a walk. Stare out the window. Sit in a quiet room.
• Ask: what needs my energy—and what doesn’t? Clarity often emerges in the quiet.

Silence is a Business Strategy

Stillness isn’t a luxury. It’s a leadership tool. When you create space in your day, you make better decisions. You become more present. You reduce reactivity and increase intentionality. You lead with clarity, not clutter.

So today, be like Cooper. Find a patch of sunlight—real or metaphorical—and rest in it. Let silence sharpen your focus. Let recalibration become a routine.

Because when you operate from your center, you don’t just work better—you live better, think bigger, and get unstuck.

Think BIG!

JD