Self Awareness as a Bridge to Restorative Practice

Ever been overwhelmed, overbooked, and under-resourced? (Asking for a friend.)

There are seasons in life when that reality feels especially loud—etched in memory like both a scar and a lesson. One of those seasons for me was when my two oldest—now in their 30s—were just five and two. I was a former Air Force enlisted on a journey toward my next vocation, working nights, finishing my undergraduate degree (back when everything was in person), and serving in our Wednesday night children’s ministry.

I was tapped out.

One December evening, as finals loomed, a little girl ran up to greet me at church. I smiled, reached out to shake her hand—and she hesitated. In that instant, I knew why. My hands felt like sandpaper.

That small, tender moment stopped me cold. I realized I’d been so busy keeping all the plates spinning that I’d stopped caring for the core parts of me—basic needs like water, rest… and even lotion. It was a quiet but potent wake-up call.

Not long after, chickenpox swept through our house (this was pre-vaccine days), forcing everything on our calendar to come to a screeching halt. What began as an unwelcome disruption became an unexpected invitation—into stillness, healing, and recalibration. My “human doing” gave way to “human being.”

Fast forward to yesterday. I logged into a Zoom meeting and waited for the host. When she joined—slightly late and clearly flustered—she apologized, exhaled hard, and said, “Traci, would you mind if I turned off my camera for a minute and just took a few breaths?”

“Please,” I said. “Take all the time you need.”

A few minutes later, she returned—more grounded, centered, and ready to be fully present. The pause was a gift to both of us. By the end of our hour, her energy had shifted completely. She’d found space to reflect, release the morning’s chaos, and reimagine her next steps.

Her ability to pause—to recognize what she needed and honor it—was rooted in self-awareness. And that awareness didn’t just restore her well-being; it restored her effectiveness, her creativity, and her capacity to connect.

That’s the power of self-awareness—it’s the bridge between exhaustion and restoration. Between reacting and responding. Between chaos and calm.

✨ Reflective Question: Where in your own life might a moment of awareness—or a mindful pause—create space for restoration?