This morning as I was driving my daughters to school, we caught almost every red light. We left home a little later than planned and we’re getting close to being tardy. In that moment of frustration, I was reminded that red lights can be good for us. They give us a chance to stop and evaluate where we are going. They give us a few seconds or a couple of minutes to catch our breath and think about where we are going. 

Sometimes we find ourselves going at such a fast pace to check off the next thing or get to the next place in life that we don’t evaluate if we’re on the right path. Are we on autopilot cruising along and going from red light to red light? Or are we taking those moments to stop and listen? Are we in sync with our purpose and where we ultimately want to end up? Are the red lights we’re seeing there to tell us something?

I encourage you to evaluate where you are and where you would like to be. Are you taking the necessary steps to get there? Do you need to take a break, relax or implement self care techniques? What can you learn from the unexpected “pauses” or “stops”?

~Coletta Jones Patterson

Coletta is an author, speaker, life coach and business executive who is passionate about helping others get unstuck. She hosts a weekly beyond stuck podcast and has written seven inspirational books. Connect with Coletta at info@moveu4ward.com.