017: The Sacred Pause — Finding Meaning in the Mundane cover art

017: The Sacred Pause — Finding Meaning in the Mundane

017: The Sacred Pause — Finding Meaning in the Mundane

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About this listen

In this reflective and grounding episode, Jillian and Meg explore the quiet spaces in life — the waiting, the boredom, the in-between moments that most of us rush past. From long afternoons at kids’ sporting events to everyday pauses that feel unproductive, they reframe these “empty” moments as invitations to presence, creativity, and deeper connection.

This conversation is an anchor for anyone feeling overstimulated or constantly in motion. Instead of dismissing downtime as inconvenient or boring, Meg and Jill show how these pauses can become sacred places of renewal, imagination, and emotional regulation.

What We Explore

The Psychology of Boredom

  • Why our brains crave stimulation and struggle with quiet
  • How boredom activates the brain’s default mode network, which fuels creativity, idea generation, and deeper reflection
  • The surprising study: people who completed a boring task became more creative afterward

Stillness as a Path to Creativity

  • How “dead time” can become “depth time”
  • Why letting yourself be bored is one of the most powerful things you can do for your imagination
  • How Meg encourages her kids with “Being bored is good for you — go get creative”

Honoring Our Nervous Systems

  • Our bodies were not designed for constant input
  • How overstimulation keeps us in low-level stress
  • Why slow, unfilled moments allow the parasympathetic nervous system to support healing, digestion, and emotional balance

Attention Restoration Theory

  • How low-demand environments like nature or repetitive tasks restore cognitive bandwidth
  • Why your brain “comes back online” when you stop trying to be productive

Boredom as a Mirror

  • Kierkegaard’s belief that boredom exposes the parts of ourselves we avoid
  • How quiet moments bring up emotions, unmet needs, and inner truths
  • Jill’s question for listeners: Are you comfortable with yourself in the quiet? What does it reveal?

Connection Through Slowness

  • How shared downtime increases belonging
  • The subtle intimacy of sitting, waiting, observing, and being present with others
  • How the mundane moments often hold the most honest togetherness


Key Themes and Takeaways
  • Boredom sparks creativity
  • Your mind begins connecting dots you didn’t know were there.
  • Stillness supports your nervous system
  • Quiet time helps your body process stress and return to balance.
  • The mundane holds meaning
  • Those bleacher hours and slow afternoons can be sacred.
  • The in-between matters
  • Depth, imagination, and connection grow when life is not filled to the brim.
  • Slowness is not a problem to fix
  • It is a rhythm to honor.

We Would Love to Connect With You

Your reflections, questions, and ah ha moments mean so much to us.

If this episode resonates, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or reach out to us individually.

Connect with Jillian:

Website: https://trellissuite.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillian-pezet-trellis/

Email: jillianp@trellissuite.com

Connect with Meg:

Website: profoundwellness.net

Email: meg@profoundwellness.net

Facebook:

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