Doing vs. Being

There is great freedom that comes with allowing ourselves to shed the notion that we must be doing something in order to validate our lives. We write our ‘to do’ lists, our minds constantly churn with thoughts of upcoming tasks, and we get caught up in habitual schedules of working, parenting, recreating, eating and sleeping. Our lives become a succession of routines. When we are immersed in doing rather than being, an imbalance occurs, often leading to feelings of inadequacy and a longing for a sense of joy and fulfillment.  

Our thoughts are powerful. They create our blueprint in life. If our thoughts result in living our lives based on the messages we receive from our family and society, we are giving away our power by consciously or unconsciously believing we must live out these projections. We lose our sense of who we are when we give others’ opinions and judgments more value than our own. This can spiral to a point where we don’t even know who we are.

While we all want to be loved and please others, we must not compromise our peace of mind and sense of self-worth in order to satisfy their expectations. As we begin to explore who we truly are, we realize that long-held beliefs of our worth and presumed roles in life are experiences of the past. We cannot control the past or the future; we only have control over the present moment. It is our choice to either fill all of life’s moments with doing and acquiring or to take some time to develop more awareness of our essence. By opening ourselves to the realization that we are much more than our stuff, we begin living instead of merely existing.

Taking the time to quiet your mind through various methods such as breathing deeply, meditating or walking in nature will enable you to effectively delve into the story behind your beliefs and actions. As your mind and body become calm, it will be easier to observe your life from a perspective of gratitude for the lessons you have learned and knowing that you are free to release what no longer serves you.

 

Carina Bachman / CrystalSpringsHealing.com
©2009