How Technology Taught me to Let Go

by Yasemin Isler

June 2023

Technology taught me a lesson in letting go this past week. Has it ever happened to you? It took me a weekend and a day to troubleshoot all the issues that suddenly emerged on my desktop computer. While I initially tried to inch my way through trying to keep the system remaining functional and curiously investigating the conditions and the root causes, soon enough the system just came to a grinding halt and would not allow me to proceed any further with the way I was used to doing things and the way I wanted to keep on going. I had to pause my project which I had planned on completing over the weekend, and instead take stock and attend to the new boulder that showed up on the road. “Let the boulder be the path” I remembered.

There was a serious issue with the data storage and no matter what I would do, the system kept reporting there was no space left. I ran diagnostics. I started deleting files, I mean a lot of files, then ran diagnostics again. I took my time (the reason it took 3 days) to go through each directory and file to determine whether it was necessary, if I needed to back it up to an external drive, or just delete it right there and then. This meticulous process of whole-house cleaning, sweeping with awareness, letting go what served its purpose and was no longer necessary, keeping what was useful, creating a strategy to return to a backup location for when I need something, was the first step it seems. In the end, there was nothing much left on the system except skeleton services.

After everything was deleted, I felt lighter. It reminded me of when Ram Das burned all his photos in a camp fire to truly let go of any attachments to the past, to the concept of “self”. That was still too drastic for me. So, I took my precautions (above) and then released all the spaces on the computer drive. Finally, having done what I could, I had it rebuilt back to the factory specifications.

I am starting fresh, lighter, recalling the most painful parts of the process to be the tedious and long hours of trying to fix things to my personal expectations and specifications, followed by acceptance of the need to release and let it be, to let go, followed by enormous and at times tiresome patience to make sure that I would prevent avoidable errors, and ending in a state of new beginnings.

How often do we wish things to stay the same, as we get used to them, even while releasing control and expectations could be the only way to proceed and with more lightness and ease? It is not always possible. Computers and relationships with people are different enough. Important thing to remember is that we can influence the things we can. We can start in small steps. The invitation is to try, and to learn from the moments that teach us, in ways that somehow click and make us see things anew.

As my technological tools continue to provide what I need in this moment (and I’m grateful for that), I am also making plans to dedicate time during the upcoming long weekend for a technical detox, spend time with loved ones and myself, spend time in nature and the simple state of being without the short burst of distractions unending from social media or emails, thus intentionally recharge my batteries.

I invite you to consider reducing your time on your devices over the course of this weekend. How would that be for you? Slow down to speed up. Return to non-cognitive functions and experiences to recharge your cognitive batteries. Return to simply being in the moment with what is nourishing. Drop me a line about how it goes.

With love and kindness,

Yasemin

The Power of the Pause

How a Few Seconds Can Change Everything

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response.”

— Viktor E. Frankl

The Myth of Not Having Time 

If you’ve ever said, “I don’t even have time to breathe,” you’re not alone. The truth is, our modern lives are full — of deadlines, demands, and distractions. But here’s the surprising thing: mindfulness doesn’t require hours of silent sitting or a break from your real life. It begins with something profoundly simple — a pause.

A pause isn’t a luxury. It’s a radical act of reclaiming your attention. And it’s more powerful than you think.

What Is a Mindful Pause?

A mindful pause is a deliberate, short interruption in the momentum of your day. It might be five seconds between sending emails, thirty seconds while you wait for the coffee to brew, or a single breath before answering your phone.

But those few seconds? They’re a doorway. They bring you back to yourself, to the present moment, to what’s real right now — not just what’s urgent.

Instead of reacting on autopilot, you become aware. And that awareness opens the space for clarity, steadiness, and choice

Why It Works: The Neuroscience Behind the Pause

When you pause — especially when you anchor yourself with breath or body awareness — you activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which signals safety and calm. This interrupts the stress cycle and gives your prefrontal cortex (the part of your brain responsible for reasoning and decision-making) a chance to take the wheel.

This means:

• You’re less likely to lash out.

• You think more clearly under pressure.

• Your nervous system learns to settle — even in chaos.

A micro-pause might not feel like much. But over time, it retrains your brain toward presence instead of panic.

The Micro-Pause Practice (Step-by-Step)

This is your anchor practice for Week 1. It takes less than a minute, and you can do it anywhere — in traffic, in a meeting, while standing in line.

1. Stop

Interrupt what you’re doing, even for just 5–10 seconds.

2. Feel

Notice your feet on the floor or your hands resting. Sense the movement of your breath.

3. Notice

Ask yourself: “What’s happening in my body right now? What’s the tone of my mind?”

4. Name

Give it a word. “Calm.” “Rush.” “Tension.” “Stillness.” No judgment — just awareness.

5. Begin Again

Let the next breath be a soft reset, and gently return to what you were doing — now a little more grounded.

Real-Life Moments to Use the Pause

• Before replying to a frustrating email

• In the car before you reach your driveway

• At the end of a meeting

• After a difficult conversation

• When you’re overwhelmed and not sure what to do next

It’s in these ordinary moments that a mindful pause becomes extraordinary.

Reflection: What Happens When You Actually Pause?

Many people are surprised when they begin this practice. They expect calm — but sometimes, what surfaces is anxiety or grief or just a flood of to-do lists. That’s okay. The pause isn’t supposed to feel a certain way.

What matters is: you noticed. You stepped out of automatic pilot and into presence.

Here are a few reflection prompts to help you process your experience:

• What does pausing feel like in your body?

• When is it hardest for you to pause?

• How does your reactivity shift after using this practice?

Journaling on these can deepen your insight and help you stay motivated.

Obstacles to Pausing — And How to Work with Them

“I forgot.”

Set gentle cues: a sticky note on your screen, a chime on your phone, or link it to a habit (like brushing your teeth or starting the car).

“It didn’t feel like it worked.”

There’s no right experience. The benefit comes not from what you feel, but that you remembered to pause. That’s already a rewiring of your nervous system.

“I don’t have time.”

Start with 5 seconds. Really. Even a single mindful breath is enough to begin.

Going Deeper: The Sacred Pause as a Life Practice

As you build this habit, something shifts. You realize the pause is always available. It’s not about escaping — it’s about staying with your life, with more steadiness and compassion.

Over time, the pause becomes a trusted resource:

• When emotions surge

• When everything feels uncertain

• When you feel disconnected from yourself or others

It becomes a sacred space — one breath wide — that can hold whatever is happening.

This Is Where Change Begins

Mindfulness doesn’t begin when your life is quiet. It begins inside the noise — one pause at a time.

So the next time your day starts to spin, remember:

You don’t need to fix everything.

You don’t need to feel peaceful.

You just need to pause — and meet yourself there.

Because that moment?

It’s not small.

It’s the doorway to everything.