As an artist works closely on a small detail of a large painting, she will occasionally take a step back and check that each new action fits in with the vision she has for the whole picture. The metacognition tool of pausing between emotion and action is that same process of stepping back, even just for a moment, to check in with your thoughts and actions to see if they will be in line with the person you want to be. The ability to check in on the bigger picture, even for the smallest of moments, can have a powerful impact on the way we live life.
