COME INTO BEING

DISTINCTION#4

DOING VERSUS BEING

“We are human beings, not human doings” ~ Deepak Chopra

I often ask my clients to focus on who they are being, while they are doing. How does the action, pace, results, interactions etc. honor who they are? Feed their soul? Add value? Are they being “driven” by external demands or internal awareness? This request will often strike people as a little odd because we are primed to be evaluated and validated by our actions and results and after all they are coming to a life coach to assist them in “achieving” goals and creating the life they want. There is tremendous value and fulfillment in completing tasks, realizing goals and being recognized for our work and contributions, but there is little emphasis put on who we are being, while we are doing. Who you are informs what, why and how you do something and creates the reactions and results. It fosters joy and a richness of experience because there is mindfulness instead of a mindless pursuit. Within this distinction lies, what I feel is a key to living well, fully, healthily, and successfully, whatever that means for you. So who are you being?

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

FOR THE TIME BEING

The state of Being is a soul thing, deep down, and it is the essence of expressing who you really are, unencumbered by fear of judgment or the need to prove. In the Oxford dictionary, being is described as existence, nature and essence. Being is about awareness and reflection and is present moment living. It is looking inward, while doing is endlessly looking outward. When you are being, you are not lazy or unproductive, instead you are incredibly efficient because your actions align with your strengths, true desires and therefore the energy needed to complete whatever you want to do is more readily available. Being leads to effective doing and more accurately the allowing of what already is. You do not need to do something to be - no need to figure out who you are or fix something or solve anything. Being is simply becoming present. It is not the absence of activity but rather the active awareness of self.

“Standing still, you overtake those who run” ~ The Upanishads

NOTHING DOING

The state of Doing is intrinsic to action and is operating from an external paradigm; one which values results and consequence and recognition. Doing is measured and weighed against beliefs and societal norms and is analyzed in accordance to what you should be. Doing is essential and is the interaction and response to your environment, however doing with the absence of being is like living as a robot; all function and form, no soul, no essence, no uniqueness.

BEING + DOING = RIGHT ACTION

In the pursuit of growth and development, the “doing” is often mistaken for the “being” and therefore the “doing” is pursued intensely. I must “do” something in order to "be"; be happy, be content, be successful, be me and so on. Being simply means taking a pause, a breath and becoming aware of the authentic you. It is taking moments of stillness and quiet reflection to encourage detachment and non-judgmental observation of the actions. Moments of peace and calm which encourage understanding and well thought out decisions and ultimately infuse actions with awareness and purpose. Evolving to a unified state where the doing is a natural result of the being. Decisions are clearer, actions efficient and results rewarding. I hope today that you will do the only thing you have ever had to do – be.

Being: Essence and stillness, where from, active awareness of self, presence and the creating of what is, internal, stillness, relaxed alertness, mindfulness

Doing: Form and action, where to, self-actualized, expression and creating what is not yet seen, external, movement, deliberate pursuit