The Power of a Tactical Pause

This week I watched a video that really stuck with me—and I think it may help you, too.

It was from Dr. Jannell MacAuley, a retired U.S. Air Force combat veteran, pilot, and commander who now specializes in mental skills training. She told the story of one unforgettable flight: middle of the night, night vision goggles on, responsible for more than 50 people and a multi-million dollar aircraft.

And then—everything that could go wrong, did.

Shortly after takeoff, with a thunderstorm nearby, her systems detected a threat. Flares released, evasive maneuvers made—and in the process, her aircraft flew so close to the storm that they were struck by lightning.

What did she do? Not a “mindful minute”—the time for practice had already passed. But because she’d built up her mental fitness like a muscle, she was ready. She used what she calls a tactical pause (or “tac-pause”):

🛑 Stop.
🌬️ Breathe.
🎯 Focus.

It’s deceptively simple. Practice it in calm moments, and when chaos strikes, it becomes second nature—like muscle memory for your brain. The more you practice, the more automatic it becomes when you’re overwhelmed, distracted, or facing something high-stakes.

And it works outside of combat zones, too. Traffic jams, difficult conversations, work stress—you name it.

I tried it this week. One day I felt like a squirrel hopping branches—I couldn’t focus on anything for more than a few seconds before getting pulled toward the next thing waving its arms at me. I finally caught myself, stopped, took a single deep breath, and redirected to the one thing that mattered most in that moment. It broke the spin.

So if you find yourself in chaos—whether lightning’s striking or just your inbox is—remember: Stop. Breathe. Focus.

I hope this helps you as much as it helped me. And I’d love to hear—when could you use a tac-pause this week?

Here’s to breathing through the chaos,
Tamara