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Essential Pause: Leading and Living with Intention

Essential Pause: Leading and Living with Intention

Written by: essentialpause
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About this listen

 We live in a world obsessed with motion—growth, productivity, and doing. But what if the real power lies in the pause?

The Essential Pause Podcast invites you to explore the in-between spaces where reflection, awareness, and intentional action take root. Grounded in Dr. Carey Borkoski's Substack and her book Dancing with Discomfort, co-hosts Carey Borkoski and Dr. Es Swihart weave together their experiences as coaches, educators, researchers, and parents to explore stories, insights, and practices that build self-awareness, deepen emotional intelligence, and help us stay present through discomfort.

Each episode offers an honest reflection, a story you’ll recognize from life or leadership, and an essential practice you can try right away. Think of it as a gentle reset button—a chance to slow down, notice, and choose how you want to show up.

Whether you’re a leader, a parent, or simply someone craving more presence in your everyday life, these conversations are an invitation to pause—on purpose.Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
Episodes
  • Already in the Room: Leading from Your Authentic Self

    Already in the Room: Leading from Your Authentic Self
    Jan 10 2026

    You often already have what you need to lead, teach, or coach. This episode emphasizes showing up authentically, centering others, and trusting your presence as a source of clarity, creativity, and belonging.
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    35 mins
  • The Messy Middle

    The Messy Middle
    Nov 20 2025
    In this episode of Essential Pause, Carey is joined by colleague and friend Dr. Es Swihart for a real-life conversation about what it means to pause in the messy middle—those everyday moments filled with motion, relationships, and deadlines. Building on earlier episodes that introduced the pause as a practice, Carey and Es explore how change often begins in the smallest micro-moments: a breath before responding, a quiet reflection, a walk between meetings. This episode bridges theory and lived experience, offering stories, insights, and reminders that growth rarely happens neatly—but it does happen when we slow down enough to notice.
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    43 mins
  • Discomfort Stamina

    Discomfort Stamina
    Oct 29 2025
    In this episode of Essential Pause, Carey Borkoski explores the idea of discomfort stamina—the ability to stay present and grounded during moments of struggle or uncertainty. Drawing on her experience running a 10-mile race, she shares how shifting from distraction to presence helped her endure discomfort step by step. Carey connects this lesson to the “ugly stage” common in art, work, parenting, and personal growth—reminding us that messiness often precedes learning and possibility. She highlights the paradox of discomfort: though challenging, it can drive growth—whether in building muscle, setting boundaries in relationships, or navigating financial discipline. Building discomfort stamina, she explains, involves acknowledging discomfort, clarifying values, cultivating flexibility, practicing self-compassion, and seeking support. Ultimately, Carey emphasizes that discomfort stamina isn’t about gritting your teeth but about pausing, noticing, and staying present—learning that discomfort doesn’t undo us, and often, it’s where transformation begins.
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    25 mins
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