Our Story

The Pause Breathe Reflect Story

"Ok, Michael. If you want to heal your body, you need to heal your mind."

As I was recovering from a near-death cycling accident that I call My Last Bad Day, this was the conversation I had with myself. The conversation led to a life-changing a-ha moment. The next day, I slipped out of my hospital bed and into my wheelchair to find a quiet place in the hospital to connect with my breath, set my intentions, and just BE. My mindfulness practice and our Pause Breathe Reflect™ (Slow is Fast) Movement were born.

I once thought that mindfulness was woo-woo or hippy-dippy. I now know from personal experience that mindfulness helps expand our awareness, sharpen our focus, and approach our moments with a sense of calm or peace. It can help us manage stress and build resilience. Importantly, it prevents a bad moment from becoming a bad day, or worse, lingering indefinitely. Even as mindfulness helped shift my perspective in almost every aspect of life, I kept the practice to myself during my recovery and re-entry into corporate life. As a leadership coach, I would share Pause Breathe Reflect™ with my clients and reference it in blog posts, but still, I kept it close to the vest.

... Then 2020 happened.

I realized what I had kept to myself was very much needed out in our world. Embracing Pause Breathe Reflect™ could help others get through the pandemic. I knew it was the right time to share it and create our movement.

I embarked on my Thank You-19 Charity Ride on July 11, 2020. That day I rode my bicycle in my home for 19 hours for 19 charities helping us get through COVID-19. With the help of my oldest daughter, we designed and launched the first Pause Breathe Reflect™ T-shirt. The rest of the story, well, it's history in the making.

We see Pause Breathe Reflect™ as the symbol of mindfulness. It's a reminder to come back to your breath during your "bad" moments and an invitation to others to do the same when they see you wearing it. It's more than clothes; it's a way of living. That is, to live in the moment.

Ripple Something Worth Rippling

Today, we have expanded beyond our basic black T-shirts. Through our partnership with AllMade™, Legacy™, and Royal Apparel™, we have a variety of styles, colors, sweatshirts, ball caps, and even coffee mugs.

Join us on our Pause Breathe Reflect Meditation and Gratitude App. Take a moment for your health, step into a brave space of belonging, and discover how to meditate without judgment.

We love Mother Earth, strive to support American jobs, and create communities of belonging. We sponsor Team NYC VELO SUGOI PBR, the most prominent female/trans/femme cycling team in NY

Thank you for joining our movement and helping us ripple something worth rippling: mindfulness, love, and belonging.

Join our daily meditations on PBR App®.

You can also check us out on Instagram®.

And on Facebook®.