Doing versus Being

Our culture and society is not set up in a way that encourages a healthy, happy existence. Everything around us boasts the importance of Doing. Our actions, the ways we fill our days, the efforts we make, the manner in which we pursue pleasure and relaxation—it all stems from things outside of ourselves. We’re told to think our value, our joy, our rest, our worth, can only come from what we Do.

This is not true!

Seeing the truth requires a major shift in perspective. We need to relearn how we approach everything from the moment we wake in the morning, to when we go back to sleep at night.

The key is accepting our value is already established and cannot diminish. It comes from our Soul, our eternal Being. Circumstances are temporary and do not change who we are. Nothing you Do outside yourself adds any value to who you are. If anything, it distracts from it. Looking without instead of within traps us into a pattern of thinking we aren’t already good enough, which isn’t true. Anything you could ever need is inside you right now. You don’t need anyone or anything to access it. Just love and patience.

We’re used to chasing pleasure outside ourselves, too. The things we plan on weekends, evenings, and holidays involve travel, socializing, spending money, or pursing experiences. These all have their place and entertainment value, but too often we believe deep within ourselves that these things should fill a void inside. We think the “perfect” vacation, the “perfect” date, the “perfect” party will finally, finally, be that thing we’ve been missing that will finally make us happy and fulfilled. When they don’t do that, we feel we’re not good enough, didn’t try hard enough, and are privately bitterly disappointed, even if we had “a good time”.

How often have you looked forward to plans, building up in your mind how they’d be the thing you need to turn your whole world around and make it all worthwhile? Only to be frustrated with the reality?

There’s a reason for this. It’s simple. We need to appreciate our Being instead of our Doing.

Being is constant. It’s there day and night for the entire length of your life on this planet. No matter what’s happening around you, whether you’re sitting in a traffic jam or sitting on a beach on a beautiful day, you can find comfort, love, wholeness, and much more just by loving yourself and appreciating the gift of being alive, of being in the now.

Being who you are is enough. It’s the way to experiencing peace and joy as your normal daily condition, no matter what’s in your bank account or on your schedule. Being is our connection to the Source of all creation. It links us with all of existence. It’s our Divinity.

Clear away the noise and fear. Untangle the knots dragging you down and creating stress. Release all notions of what you should be Doing. Only Do things you want to Do, not because you feel you should.

Life is like a river. It flows naturally. We’re not the ones in charge of the currents. We’re just floating along riding it out. That’s the way to an easy, pleasant trip—float! Don’t swim against the currents. Don’t create resistance to what Is. Acceptance and surrender to the flow means everything will take care of itself. You won’t need to Do anything! Doing becomes unnecessary when you are able to Be.

I know it may sound hard to believe. I know you’ve been taught to think life doesn’t work that way, that we need to break our backs working under the rules of society in order to survive. But those expectations were set by other people who feed off of our struggles to satisfy their own greed for money and power. They’re lying to you. Money, status, appearances—they don’t matter. They’re the trap. They’re what’s making you miserable, because the endless, frantic chase for them distracts you from Being.

They can’t charge you for Being, so they don’t want you to think you could be happy right now without paying them money for the privilege.

They don’t want you to know your value isn’t up for debate, that you’re already perfect just the way you are because you’re a spark of Divinity itself. They’d rather you fear aging, and obsess over body image, and fashion, and skin care, and all the rest of it, because our fear and misery makes them a lot of money!

You don’t need to go anywhere or buy tickets to a restful day. You can be right where you are, and meditate, or go for a walk, or play music and dance, and Be. Taking care of your Being is true rest. It’s free.

If this all sounds ridiculous, and too good to be true, I invite you to test it out. Let go of all preconceived ideas about Doing. Stop doing anything, other than what you want. If there’s something you’d secretly like to do for yourself, even if it’s just to lay in bed all day and not talk to anyone, even over the phone or internet, do that. Your instincts will always guide you toward what you need most to rebalance yourself.

Stop thinking about tomorrow or worrying about yesterday. Just be here now. Today. In this moment. Breathe the air. Feel the energy pulsing through your body. Do some stretches. Listen to the sounds around you. Look for something beautiful to appreciate. Ground yourself in the moment. What it gives you will be more subtle and quiet than what you’re used to, but its gifts are everlasting and endless.

Once you start practicing this, anything can be a pleasure! Washing the dishes and feeling the warm, bubbly water on your hands. Sitting in a waiting room to rest your feet and catch your breath, clear your mind. Seeing people you care about and appreciating the connection you have, and the ways you learn from each other every day. There are blessings all around us. Pay attention to them!

We are all we have. Sometimes the idea of that is used to scare, but no one can ever take you away from yourself. The love you can give yourself well outmatches what anyone else can ever give you. Use that. Be kinder to yourself. Stop doing so much, and just be who you are. Because you’re beautiful, from the inside out.

Love and blessings, friends.