Being Before Doing

 

What do you do?

Greetings usually involve a few common questions:

What do you do?
What is your job?
What are you doing today?

We are a culture of doing. Especially during this busy holiday season, the “to do” list can grow by the day. Presents to buy, errands to run, check, check, check.

It feels like the more we do, the more we still have to do. We hurry through our list so we can rest a minute until we have to take the dog out. And then do more!

It’s not a surprise that we feel compelled to do something. We live in a society that encourages a never ending quest to do more, create more, make more, get more. The encouragement is there from our school system, our parents, our boss, our teacher, our friends. There’s no shortage of cheerleaders for doing!

Yes, this doing can be very important. But what differentiates busy work from the essential work?

Running can get you somewhere but how do you know you’re not running in place?

All this movement, and where did you actually go? There’s a lot of activity, but maybe nothing to show for it. At the end of the day, the end of the week, the end of the year, when you look back, did this doing take you where you wanted to go? If not, it might be time to stop, reflect and be still within yourself.

During all the activity, as mindless as it can be, are we losing focus on why we’re doing it and who it is that is doing the doing? 

Do we stop to ask these questions?

Maybe we disregard the person, the essence behind the doing. The human “being”.

Maybe we keep going because it’s a habit, a routine, or an expectation to live up to. We don’t question it, especially if it’s something we’ve been doing for many many years.

We do without thinking. We do without being.

The invitation is always there, especially during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season to take some time to be.

You might be asking, “How do I get in the holiday no-doing spirit!?”

Before you pick up your to do list, take a time-out and have a seat on the couch or the floor.

Just sit there. Don’t open a book. Don’t read. Don’t watch TV. Simply be there. You are now inviting being into your day. See what unfolds.

Try to sit here for a few minutes.

There’s nothing to do right now but be.

See what comes up. Maybe that to do list has changed. Maybe you don’t need to do anything on the list. Priorities might shift.

Enjoy this gift you’ve given yourself.

This “not doing” practice was a gift I was given and now I gift this invitation to you. This practice can provide clarity and space to tap into yourself in a more authentic way. By just “being” you allow more room in your experience. This space can dissolve the non-essentials and invite more good things into your experience.

From this place of being, you can go out into the world and “do” in a more meaningful way.