I haven’t written a blog post in more than two months. For a girl who has consistently blogged for over three years, this has certainly been my longest absence.

I could pinpoint a number of reasons why I took a short hiatus: a constant roller coaster of thoughts and emotions with the recent passing of both my brother and my cousin; a new job that finally feels like a career; a strong interest in the practice of yoga; a coaching season that consumes the vast majority of my “extra” time… the list goes on.

But in its essence, my absence from blogging came from one simple fact: I needed a break.

Blogging has never, ever been a chore to me. In fact, i’ve been writing pages upon pages every single night, they’ve just been with pen and paper rather than on my computer. I also have a blank scrapbook I carry around with me where I write blog ideas down when they randomly pop into my head. It’s nearly full.

The ideas are there. But the thought of executing them has just been exhausting. Honestly, I just needed to push it aside for a bit. And once I did, it was a little scary coming back to it. Yet I knew that if I took a break from something that I loved for too long, my hiatus would become permanent. I had to ignore the fact that this year has been (for the most part) a total nightmare, and remind myself of the good that still remains.

This world is astonishingly ruthless and never hesitates to pull us in a million confusing directions without thinking twice. It is unmerciful and often times unforgiving. But despite its brutality, it is a teacher like no other, and one that offers the most worthwhile lessons if you’re willing to look for them.

So when the weight of the world becomes just a bit too unbearable, don’t forget that you’re allowed to press pause. The world will be here waiting for you when you decide to come back.