Essential Pause: Leading and Living with Intention

Essential Pause: Leading and Living with Intention

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.

Episodes

November 20, 2025 43 mins
In this episode of Essential Pause, Carey is joined by colleague and friend Dr. Es Swihart for a real-life conversation about what it means to pause in the messy middle—those everyday moments filled with motion, relationships, and deadlines. Building on earlier episodes that introduced the pause as a practice, Carey and Es explore how change often begins in the smallest micro-moments: a breath before responding, a quiet reflectio...
Mark as Played
In this episode of Essential Pause, Carey Borkoski explores the idea of discomfort stamina—the ability to stay present and grounded during moments of struggle or uncertainty. Drawing on her experience running a 10-mile race, she shares how shifting from distraction to presence helped her endure discomfort step by step. Carey connects this lesson to the “ugly stage” common in art, work, parenting, and personal growth—reminding us th...
Mark as Played
September 18, 2025 10 mins

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.

Mark as Played

This brand-new podcast, created in partnership between Dragon Podcasts and Loyola University, invites you to step into the in-between spaces—where reflection, awareness, and intentional action take root. Guided by Loyola University’s Dr. Carey Borkoski—coach, educator, and researcher—this series opens a thoughtful conversation on how we lead and live with greater clarity and purpose.

Mark as Played

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