{"store":{"baseInfo":{"podcastTitle":"Essential Pause: Leading and Living with Intention","slug":"essentialpause","podcastDescription":"

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.

","podcastLogo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/21248270/Essential_Pause_Vimeo_1400x1400.jpg","podcastShareLogo":"https://d2bwo9zemjwxh5.cloudfront.net/image-logo/21248270/Essential_Pause_Vimeo_1400x1400_1200x628.jpg?s=6e0f10486374b92f9fa39a9ed8d7d1f1&e=jpg","podcastUrl":"https://essentialpause.podbean.com","podcastCanSearched":true,"feedUrl":"https://feed.podbean.com/essentialpause/feed.xml","theme":"double-tree","podcastDeepLink":"https://www.podbean.com/pw/pbblog-sv6w6-144390e?from=usersite","removePodbeanBranding":"no","brandingLogo":null,"timeZone":{"timeZoneId":17,"gmtAdjustment":"GMT-04:00","useDaylightTime":1,"value":-4,"text":"(GMT-04:00) Atlantic Time (Canada)","daylightStartTime":"Second Sunday Of March +2 Hours","daylightEndTime":"First Sunday Of November +2 Hours","timezone":"America/Halifax"},"podcastDownloads":null,"totalEpisodes":2,"showComments":false,"iOSAppDownloadLink":null,"customizeCssUrl":null,"androidAppDownloadLink":null,"showPostShare":true,"showLike":false,"author":"essentialpause","enableEngagementStats":true,"shareEmbedLink":"https://admin5.podbean.com/embed.html?id=pbblog-sv6w6-144390e-playlist","language":"en","sensitivitySessionExpireTime":3600,"podcastApps":[{"name":"Apple Podcasts","link":"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/essential-pause-leading-and-living-with-intention/id1838474205","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/apple-podcast.png","title":null},{"name":"Podbean App","link":"https://www.podbean.com/pw/pbblog-sv6w6-144390e?from=usersite","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/podbean-app.png","title":null},{"name":"Spotify","link":"https://open.spotify.com/show/7ryvxy8acKicWAFtzWcv5V","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/spotify.png","title":null},{"name":"Amazon Music","link":"https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b3b8733f-702b-440e-81a9-e934f92d897e","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/AmazonMusic.png","title":null},{"name":"iHeartRadio","link":"https://iheart.com/podcast/292959882","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/iHeartRadio.png","title":null},{"name":"PlayerFM","link":"https://player.fm/series/3688656","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/PlayerFM.png","title":null},{"name":"Listen Notes","link":"https://feed.podbean.com/essentialpause/feed.xml","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/ListenNotes.png","title":null},{"name":"Podchaser","link":"https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/essential-pause-leading-and-li-6206665","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/Podchaser.webp","title":null},{"name":"BoomPlay","link":"https://www.boomplaymusic.com/podcasts/137240","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/BoomPlay.png","title":null}],"components":{"base":[{"id":"MainStyle","val":"light"},{"id":"Font","val":"Oswald"},{"id":"SecondaryFont","val":"PT Sans"},{"id":"PlayerColor","val":"#FFBE00"},{"id":"PlayerStyle","val":"player1"},{"id":"PlayerWave","val":"show"},{"id":"Favicon","val":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/wdzeave745eqh3xd/Essential_Pause_120x120.jpg"},{"id":"CookiesNotice","val":"hide"},{"id":"CookiesNoticeContent","val":"

Cookies Notice

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. By using our website you agree to our use of cookies.

"}],"home-header":[{"id":"HomeHeaderTextColor","val":"#F2F2F2"},{"id":"HomeHeaderBackgroundColor","val":"#006242"},{"id":"BackgroundImage","val":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/42it4dc95h427794/Essential_Pause_960x700.jpg"}],"page-header":[{"id":"PageHeaderTextColor","val":"#ffffff"},{"id":"SecondaryPageBackgroundImage","val":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/bbavv62fdmvm3b7s/Essential_Pause_1920x700.jpg"},{"id":"SecondaryPageBackgroundImageForMobile","val":null}],"episode-list":[{"id":"EpisodeListType","val":"list"},{"id":"EpisodesPerPage","val":10},{"id":"EpisodeStats","val":"show"}],"navigation":[{"id":"NavigationFontColor","val":"#F2F2F2"},{"id":"NavigationBackgroundColor","val":"#FAF7F4"},{"id":"NavigationSearch","val":"show"},{"id":"NavigationLinks","val":[{"id":"Home","type":"Link","value":"/","text":"Home","subitems":[]},{"id":"Subscribe","type":"Link","value":"https://www.podbean.com/site/podcatcher/index/blog/WKgYm5I0puz9","text":"Subscribe","subitems":[]},{"id":"Profile","type":"Link","value":"https://www.podbean.com/user-Yo2jVSxYugY","text":"Profile","subitems":[]}]}],"footer":[{"id":"FooterType","val":"Footer1"},{"id":"FooterFontColor","val":"#000000"},{"id":"FooterBackgroundColor","val":"#ffffff"},{"id":"FooterCopyright","val":"Copyright 2025 All rights reserved."},{"id":"SocialMediaLinks","val":{"facebook_username":"","twitter_username":"","instagram_username":"","youtube_username":"","linkedin_username":""}}],"customize-container1":[],"customize-container2":[]},"allLinks":[],"mainStylesDefaultSettings":null,"defaultCustomizeComponents":null,"scripts":[],"metas":null,"appConfig":{"package":"com.podbean.app.generic","app_store_id":1484287462,"app_name":"Podbean Biz Podcast App","scheme":"enterprise-podbean-com"},"customizeCss":null,"canEditCss":null,"enableJsCodeInCustomizeContent":false,"enabledIframeCodeInCustomizeContent":true,"sectionMaxCount":10,"enableEditorLink":true,"enableEditCookiesNotice":true,"siteRedirectToFeed":false,"podcatcherRssUrl":null,"showFeed":true,"showTopBar":true,"enableWebSiteLike":false,"organizationName":"Dragon Podcasts","organizationPageLink":"https://www.podbean.com/dragonpodcasts"},"backToListUrl":"/","tinymceLoaded":false,"listEpisodes":[],"userLikedEpisodes":[],"userLikeCheckedEpisodes":[],"topBarIframeLoaded":false,"listTotalCount":0,"listTotalPage":0,"listPage":0,"listType":"all","listValue":"","listName":"","pageLoading":false,"apiBaseUrl":"https://essentialpause.podbean.com","apiV2BaseUrl":"","apiCommonParams":{"t":"68ce59ad","clientSignature":"e6946ba3e9ef6b7102c1c6bd2db691f7","u":null,"customizing":null},"apiCommonHeaders":{},"comments":[],"commentsTotalCount":null,"commentsTotalPage":null,"commentsPage":null,"commentEpisodeId":null,"episode":{"id":"pb26651619","idTag":"s9ztg","title":"Finding Clarity in the Unexpected","logo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/21248270/Essential_Pause_Vimeo_1400x1400_300x300.jpg","shareLogo":"https://d2bwo9zemjwxh5.cloudfront.net/image-logo/21248270/Essential_Pause_Vimeo_1400x1400_1200x628.jpg?s=6e0f10486374b92f9fa39a9ed8d7d1f1&e=jpg","largeLogo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/21248270/Essential_Pause_Vimeo_1400x1400.jpg","previewContent":null,"content":"

Not all pauses are planned. This episode shares how unexpected events—like sudden disruptions or surprises—can become moments of reflection and recalibration. Discover strategies for turning the unplanned into opportunities for clarity and deliberate action.

","publishTimestamp":1758209384,"duration":639,"mediaUrl":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/9v8w2nwsh7hq9jn3/Essential_Pause_Episode_1_bo95u.mp3","mediaType":"audio/mpeg","shareLink":"https://admin5.podbean.com/embed.html?id=pb-s9ztg-196abe3","likedCount":0,"deepLink":"https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-s9ztg-196abe3","transcriptUrl":null,"permalink":"/e/finding-clarity-in-the-unexpected/","downloadLink":"https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-s9ztg-196abe3?download=1","fallbackResource":null,"fallbackResourceMimetype":null,"downloadCount":4,"status":"publish","hasMoreContent":false,"chaptersUrl":null,"explicit":false},"episodeShareLink":null,"deepLink":"https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-s9ztg-196abe3","playlist":{"episodes":[],"current":0,"start":0,"stop":0,"playing":true,"playerLoading":true,"playbackRate":1,"playbackRateIndex":1,"volume":1},"toasts":[],"confirm":null,"customizeEditorFormZIndex":999,"lastRequestTime":null,"validateChangesOnBeforeunload":true,"windowWidth":1000,"VITE_FS1_CDN_URL_PREFIX":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1","reloadStats":false,"userIdEncrypted":null,"userProfilePicture":null,"username":null,"isVerified":false,"loadUserInfo":false,"loginUrl":null,"recaptchaV3Loaded":false,"recaptchaV2Loaded":false,"likesLoaded":false,"commentLikeMap":{},"commentOffset":0,"widgetCommentsLoaded":false},"episode":{"id":"pb26651619","idTag":"s9ztg","title":"Finding Clarity in the Unexpected","logo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/21248270/Essential_Pause_Vimeo_1400x1400_300x300.jpg","shareLogo":"https://d2bwo9zemjwxh5.cloudfront.net/image-logo/21248270/Essential_Pause_Vimeo_1400x1400_1200x628.jpg?s=6e0f10486374b92f9fa39a9ed8d7d1f1&e=jpg","largeLogo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/21248270/Essential_Pause_Vimeo_1400x1400.jpg","previewContent":null,"content":"