Diamond,
Welcome to the forum and thanks for posting your questions.
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You start by finding a flight school that will best suit your needs. If your goal is only to be a Private Pilot, then most any local flight school will do just fine. If your goal is to be a professional pilot, then I would look for a school that is focused on producing such. Check out this link I wrote: Questions For Any Prospective Flight School
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The schedule very much depends on which kind of school. A small school will work with you on your timeframe, but it will take forever for you to get your license and probably end up costing considerably more. A professional school, such as ATP, will be a full time commitment.
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Yes, you can pause your education and continue, but I would highly recommend against it. Successful flight training depends on consistency and continuously building on what you just learned. Taking a pause of any significant duration can completely undo all of the gains you have made. In the end, this will end up costing more time and money.
Just so we are clear and provide the best possible answers, what are your goals in aviation?
Chris