The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “being” and “doing,” as follows:
- Being – the state of existing, the most important or basic part of a person’s mind or self
- Doing – the act of making something happen through your own action
BEING PRESENT
I started thinking about this concept of “doing vs. being” and realized that it is easy to “Do” and takes a different mindset to “Be.” What happens when we “Do”? You go through the motions-we wake-up, eat breakfast, walk the dog, get ready for work, go to work, and come home from work. We can quickly go on Auto-Pilot. At times it can create a tendency to not commit to anything new, and it tends to take a lot of effort to break the cycle! What happens when we “Be”? We take the time to self reflect-THINK TIME. We are committed, we have energy, we have a clearer path forward, and we are more present! The actions and attitudes we show when we are “Doing” are a lot different than when we are “Being.”
There are some activities or roles in life; we get in the routine of “DOING.” You need to focus and follow through with the role you play, the task you took on or the event you committed too. No matter how routine, pleasant, mundane, or tedious it may be. Think about how you feel when you are “Doing”—What do you notice?
Recall times where you are in the state of “Being”—being a mom, being a dad, being a caregiver for your elderly parent, being a CEO, being a golfer, being a partner, or just being a friend—think about how you feel when you are being? What do you notice about being present? To get to that existence of “Being” first requires time to sit back, think, reflect, learn, and move forward with focus.
SHIFT EXPERIMENT:
What is something you want to focus on to be your most present self? Write it down. When you stop and think of your actions for a minute, where and how can you improve the quality of your efforts, and how can you be more productive? What do you need to let go of? Where do you need to take a more relaxed stance? What through this process of self-reflection are you learning about you? What might be something you are not noticing–who could be that third eye and give you some feedback?
Being can create more happiness than doing. When we do-we are just going through our routine. We are not fully engaged. We may not give our best quality effort. Being allows us to fulfill our best self, which benefits us and those we care about around us!
