In a lively and heartfelt conversation, Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson and Gaby Mammone emphasize the importance of taking pauses in life. They kick off their chat by addressing the societal pressure to keep moving and achieving at breakneck speed. Through Nkechi's personal journey of recovering from hip surgery, they illustrate how an enforced pause can lead to profound insights. Rather than losing her independence, Nkechi found that her experience enriched her relationships and deepened her appreciation for the support system around her. The duo discusses how the act of slowing down gave rise to new perspectives on what truly matters in life, like spending quality time with loved ones and engaging in self-care practices that often get sidelined in the hustle. Gaby shares her own experiences of stress and how pausing helped her regain clarity amidst the chaos of life. With humor sprinkled throughout, they invite listeners to reflect on their own lives and consider where they can introduce moments of pause, whether it's for a few seconds or a few weeks. This episode serves as a delightful reminder that sometimes, less really is more, and that embracing stillness can lead to unexpected empowerment.

Takeaways:

• The power of pausing and taking breaks can lead to unexpected growth and clarity in our lives.
• Nkechi shares her personal experience with surgery, emphasizing that losing independence can actually reveal the strength of community support and love around us.
• We explore how the hustle culture pushes us to rush through life, but sometimes, slowing down helps us make better decisions and find more meaning in our actions.
• Gaby discusses her own journey of caregiving and how hitting pause allowed her to evaluate her priorities and reduce stress in her busy life.
• The episode highlights the importance of intentional pauses in our daily routines, encouraging listeners to find moments to breathe and reflect amidst the chaos.
• Both Nkechi and Gabby remind us that true energy comes from our mindset, not just our physical movement, and how being still can unleash a powerful energy within.

Have an empowering story to share on an Empowering Bytes episode? Submit your request, for a chance to be a guest.

Find us online: https://linktr.ee/nkechinwaforrobinson

Great day, amazing humans.

Welcome to the Empowered in My Skin podcast, where we have conversations that inform, inspire, and remind you that you matter.

This is the place where we share stories, wisdom, and experiences designed to help you live boldly, think empowering thoughts, and show up fully in the skin you're in.

I'm your host, Nkching Wafor, and I'm so glad you're here.

Now let's get into today's episode.

Great day, amazing humans.

Bonjour, Robinson.

It's Gabby, 1B Mammone.

I just had to try something different and I love it.

Maybe French.

This is the episode that's gonna need translation.

Turn it on, folks.

Turn it on.

Turn it on.

So, wow.

I.

So Gabby and I have spoken about what.

Obviously, if you've listened to the teaser, then you know what this episode's going to be about.

And it's somewhat personal to me because of something that I've had to do in my life that was really quite unnatural.

Yes.

Well, we know that causes power because sometimes the greatest lessons actually don't come from when we're moving, they're coming from when we're still.

And I happen to know of the most recent surgery that you had and would you be willing to share, share a little bit more about what you experienced and how that relates to this topic?

I.

It's interesting.

I'm back.

Like, I've returned to work and so people have been asking about it and I said, you know, I'm gonna have to.

I'm gonna have to do something.

Like, I know not all parts of it.

I'm ready to share what I will share.

That I thought was really quite eye opening for me is I thought I was gonna lose my independence.

I really did.

Right.

Like, because not being able to drive, not being able to go to like do the things, like just be able to pick up and go.

I remember asking like so many questions like, how long, how long before this?

How long before that?

And.

And now I, you know, after having taken four weeks off to rest and recover, I gained so much more.

Like, I lost nothing.

I lost nothing.

Yeah, it's.

I mean, the operation was February 18th.

The last time I walked into the gym was today.

We're recording this on March 27th.

So the last time I walked into a gym was February 17th.

I haven't driven since February 17th.

And I actually, you know, got into a car today, like to go and run some personal errands.

But as I sit and reflect on the last four weeks, like, I gained so much more than what I Actually initially thought was loss, which was loss of my own personal independence.

Because I think more, more powerful than personal independence is this ability to pause, pause and to take stock and to observe.

And in that observation, I saw just how much of life I don't do solo.

You know, I saw how much my family and friends were willing to like lean in.

And I mean, at one time my husband's like, is this house going to turn into the botanical gardens?

You know, like, oh.

You know, I had so much love and support from my, from all aspects of my life, you know, and in the most creative and unique ways, at times thoughtful ways.

And my house became a work location for people, you know.

Yeah.

So it was like work from ink, you know, work from home.

I love that.

And, and I really welcomed the rest.

And it's.

And it was really for the first time in my life that I stepped out of the busyness and I lost nothing.

I was still booked for speaking gigs.

I still have done my podcast.

Mind you, I say all of this with the fact that I have not been to the gym, which has been the one thing that mindset wise I've had to just said that I needed to do it in order to be able to recover and go back harder.

Because if I just kept harping on not being able to go to the gym, this, this time off, this time from the surgery would have been really, really hard because it is the one thing in my life that, that has been a non negotiable for sure.

And I'm looking forward.

I'm stepping into the gym tomorrow.

We do have a gym in the basement.

So I have made my daily physio like my workouts.

So I get up, I, I can.

I get myself to get up in the morning, put on my gym clothes, go downstairs, do my physio, maybe do a little bit of other weights and then I start to get ready for my day.

But really and truly, like as I think about the title of this episode, pauses power.

Like I delivered three talks, you see, right?

Three.

All of them either with Walker and Cain.

Yes, you're right.

Right.

Two with Walker and Cain, one with Cain and probably some of the best I've ever done.

And I think it's because I've a lot like it's such a humbling journey and it shifted something in me.

Oh, I just find that to be so powerful.

Yeah.

We live in a world where, where it's almost like we're rewarded for being fast.

Right.

Fast replies, fast decisions, fast success, fast growth.

Right.

This hustle Culture, like you said, even, like, buying a house.

It's like, you gotta make your decision faster.

Someone else is gonna get it before you do.

One of the biggest purchases of your life has to still be fast.

So everything is just so fast.

And I'd like to propose that sometimes mistakes or errors can also happen because we didn't pause right.

We responded too quickly.

We responded emotionally.

All these things can happen too early, too fast.

So with your recent experience of almost being forced to pause, would you say that that's kind of where the wisdom lies or perspective?

Like, what decisions or things were you able to achieve just from pausing and being out of your normal routine?

Yeah, I. Yeah, I think.

I think you nailed it there.

Because I recognized my.

I kept.

I brought my journal.

I journaled way more.

I spent a lot of time with God, and I was in scripture, and I had the opportunity to, like, learn, like, really understand scripture and then journal my thoughts around it.

And I was able to hear what I was thinking about.

Like, I was able to think about things that I was thinking about and.

And challenge myself, challenge my thinking.

It certainly brought to light the things that were important, and it made me recognize some of the things that weren't right.

Like, I actually am ready to declutter my life a bit, you know, because I haven't needed all of these things in, like, four.

Four weeks.

Right?

Yeah.

Yeah.

And.

Yeah.

And I think that that's probably why I felt like as I had this opportunity to share my story more deeply.

Well, one of the events was your event.

Yeah.

And one of the compliments I got was from Deanna, from John's wife.

She said, I've seen you, like, on stages, bouncing and doing your energetic thing, but today I've found that you were the most powerful that you've ever been.

You know, you see, And I think it was because, like, I recognize energy doesn't come from movement.

Movement creates energy.

But I don't think energy comes from movement.

I think your energy creates movement.

But I think because I wasn't able to move that way, my energy created a very.

What's that word?

Like, a very stoic, like, controlled power.

Does that make sense?

Yeah.

Yes, it absolutely makes sense.

You know, it.

I just.

Oh, my gosh, so much is coming up for me as we're having this conversation, because my mom, as you know, also had hip surgery right before you did, and we were in a phase where.

So I'm her caregiver.

She's senior mom.

I'm a mom of two.

I have a business I'm also a speaker.

I have health challenges.

And so I found myself one day feeling completely overwhelmed.

I was rushing everything.

I was rushing my meals, I was rushing the conversations, I was rushing through work.

I was rushing really, I felt like through life.

And it was like boom, boom, boom, from one thing to another, hustling.

And I didn't enjoy it at all.

And then there was a point where I just stopped.

I just stopped.

Be still.

Locked the bathroom door, Mommy's busy.

And I really needed to be stoic.

And I realized I needed to listen better to myself.

I needed to make better decisions.

I needed to slow down, I needed to speak more intentionally.

And so the only way that I could really make better myself and people heard is if I could actually stop and reduce the stress and, and slow down.

Because by slowing down, I was actually able to reduce my cortisol level.

And.

And by slowing down, I was able to think clearly of, okay, what's priority?

Who can I delegate to?

Who can I ask to help?

What meetings can I move?

And finally, just, finally, I felt like the power truly was in the pause because I was finally able to take action because I slowed down.

You know, I think the one thing that comes to mind based on what you shared is something I've heard often it might apply.

Less is more.

Yes.

Yeah.

Do you feel.

Do you feel that could be related?

Yeah, absolutely.

Because you're giving yourself more power.

You're giving yourself that chance to.

To choose instead of reacting, and that's so powerful on its own.

You tend to move with a little bit more intention because you have more.

Yeah, absolutely.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I mean, you know, now, you know, you're back into somewhat of your old routine.

But I just love that you said, you know, it didn't take anything away from you.

In fact, it gave you more.

I mean, how.

I think, how powerful is that?

And I.

And it's funny because the one thing I've also said was I don't know that I need to reintroduce, like.

Like, I. I want to start to be a lot more intentional as I start to reintroduce, like, elements of the routine I had when I was able to move and go.

Yeah.

Because I don't know that everything I did was necessary, you know?

Okay.

And so it's funny, I've had two friends that kind of ask me that, like, what's something that you have sort of gained from this time that you're going to continue to try to introduce or like, you know, maybe make some shifts and stuff, like that and I realized one of the things I was like, you know, why do I feel like I have time?

Like, you know, time to have conversations, time to do.

And it's.

In truth, not being able to drive has left me stationary in my home quite a bit.

Yeah, right.

And yeah, with the ability to get up and go, go, go, you tend to just take it for granted and you just kind of make yourself available.

But if I still kind of like, say, okay, I'm going to, like, even though I have the ability to get up and go, I'm gonna really think about, do I need to.

Oh, I just love this so much.

I love it so much.

One thing that you taught me is a pause doesn't mean you have to take a day off or a vacation or anything like that.

It's simply a moment to breathe, right?

A moment to think, to.

To identify what matters.

What matters most.

Right.

It can be 30 seconds, it can be hours.

It could be a day.

Yeah.

But mine was four weeks.

Well, yours was different because you almost didn't have a choice.

Right.

But I'm coming from a perspective of.

No introduce a pause into my week.

Let me tell you something, right?

Because I wear the OURA ring.

For those of you that are listening audio, I just was pointing to my ring.

I had 11 hours and 30 minutes of sleep debt before my operation.

Okay.

And I will tell you this.

Like, I slept so much in, like, that first week or so.

Like, just slept and slept and slept until my sleep debt was zero, you know?

Wow.

Yeah, I got to zero pretty quickly, but I was like, wow, 11 hours and 30 minutes.

Like, that's serious.

So, one, I'm.

I'm blessed.

Like, I love that I have the aura ring now because I will never get back there.

Okay.

I think that.

I think that I was doing a lot of stuff before I was going into the operation, so probably, like, I was cramming a lot of stuff into the days leading up to it, but still, I don't want to.

And I think what you're.

What you're referring to is the episode that we did called Work from a place of rest.

Yes, yes, from work.

Right.

Like, yeah, it is that.

And I think.

I think it's.

So maybe the call to action for listeners as you take this in is there is power in the pause and pause this power.

And so how can you implement moments of pause in your days and your weeks, definitely in your month, you know, that are really just about that.

I just love that.

And you really did.

Yeah.

Pausing and identify what actually matters.

Well, I can wait, right?

What am I doing now that I don't actually need to do?

And really just pause?

Because I think that's where the clarity comes.

It came for you.

Yes, it did.

And thank you for suggesting that we talk about this.

I still look forward to unpacking much more of what transpired over the over the hip replacement surgery journey.

But for now, this is where I say I'm ink and I'm Gabby with one B.

And we're out.

Bye Bye.

Thank you for tuning in to the Empowered in My Skin podcast.

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And remember, empowered humans empower humans.

Until next time, I'm your girl and I'm out.