Do you find yourself rushing through the busyness of life as if on automatic pilot? Or do you respond to a deeper yearning to express yourself fully in the world, thus living a life filled with meaning and purpose? This article takes a look at the issues of being and doing in the world and how our lives can be enriched or not in relation to the choices we make about how we choose to move through the world.
BE-Ing Versus Doing
We all are familiar with lives fraught with doing – running errands, working, transporting kids, shopping…the list goes on. Many struggle throughout their lives, trying to resolve the age-old issue of being and doing. For example, many people feel compelled to do something and are then driven by a frantic compulsion for busyness that is often dictated by their perception of society’s expectations of busyness. They move quickly into action so as to not be idle or “lazy”. These are actions resulting from the fear of criticism from others or of our own self-judgments.
Doing in this sense involves action that is largely driven by external influences or expectations, actions that tend to drain our energy. It’s easy to get worn down just trying to keep up the pace of our busy lives. It often feels like we are on a runaway treadmill of doing, doing, doing, often simply for the sake of appearing busy.
Some people learn to engage in busyness as a distraction that allows them to avoid looking within themselves, because they fear what they may discover about themselves. The unfolding nature of living beings in the world is dynamic, ever-changing and responds to the creative impulse of life, yet our human actions are too often driven by our fears, anxieties and desire to avoid what may challenge the complacency into which we have settled.
BE-ing involves living from a deeper place – of knowing who you really are (your True Self) and what’s most important to you. It is action from the heart of who you are, not action taken in response to external influences or internal fears and insecurities. BE-ing in the world doesn’t mean that you sit and watch the world go by: rather, it means that you experience fulfillment and you naturally desire to engage in the world through new and more meaningful ways. Rather than depleting your energy, actions taken from the place of your BE-ing are generative and inspired from the depth of who you are.
The more you connect to your True Self, the more you yearn to express your truth in the world. There are limitless ways to do that but some will resonate more than others. The key to expressing your voice in the world is to first distinguish between being and doing.
In truth, you can only engage in meaningful doing through the awareness of who you really are. Doing without being is empty and wasted action. It is often inefficient and drains your energy. Doing through being your truth is right action in the world, fueled by the inexhaustible energy of love. So then your quandary may be about which specific actions you take in the world. You will discover that the what or the true purpose of your life arises from and is connected to your ability to be authentic.
Authentic expression is connected to what you value and arises from your core essence. You may find it helpful to reflect on what gives your life meaning. Consider the following questions:
– What do I enjoy doing?
-What makes my heart sing?
– What are my talents and skills?
– What am I really good at?
– What activities do I lose myself in as I engage in them?
– What wisdom does my inner guidance have to offer to me about the things I love?
These questions can help you gain clarity on what is uniquely yours to be and do in the world. When you are aligned with your inner self and operating from that truth, your actions naturally flow from that state of being in fullness. Being your truth in the world means expressing the essence of who you really are. It is really a matter of your BE-ing in the world.
As you begin to express your unique and magnificent True Self in the world, you will find that your actions become purposeful and productive because they are arising from the depth of your Truth. Your life becomes your message. You become an expression of Love in Action.
Love in Action
Love in action refers to actions that naturally arise from a desire to express your truth in the world as you connect more deeply with your True Self. This kind of action or doing, fueled by love and guided by your inner wisdom, is wise or discerned action that is aligned with your truth. Love in action feels right because it is constantly nudging us to seek a fuller and more expansive expression, ever opening us to new possibilities.
Actions that spring from our inner truth have inherently greater impact in the world. Far from representing action for action’s sake, actions chosen with intent and based on a consideration of who you truly are and how you choose to use your voice of truth the world are potent. Essentially, action taken from this place is infused with the transformative power of love.
Likewise, action that arises from one’s inner wisdom is much more than action for action’s sake. Action that is informed by a choice for being over doing and activated by thoughtful choices to use one’s voice of truth intentionally and with love is action at the highest level. Such action naturally flows from a strong connection to the True Self.
6 Ideas on BE-ing in the world
1. BE yourself. BE-ing yourself means getting in touch with who you really are. It is a matter of self-awareness. Love, compassion and appreciation for Self and others deepen and naturally expand outward as you deepen the connection with yourself. The ripple effect results ultimately in a more peaceful world. Consider these questions to discover more about yourself: Who am I really? What matters most to me? What do I value? What do I really need? What do I really want? What makes my heart sing?
2. BE open and curious. New and exciting possibilities unfold when we explore with childlike curiosity and open ourselves to what could emerge. Life is a process of unfolding wonder. Enjoy the process rather than getting attached to outcomes.
3. BE grateful. We traditionally pause to consider our blessings especially during the fall season of harvest, yet an attitude of gratitude can enrich and bring more meaning to our lives at any time. Look around yourself and notice all that you have to be thankful for. Compile a gratitude list that includes all the people and things in your life for which you are grateful. You may be surprised at how long your list becomes.
4. BE fun and lighten up. A well-balanced and healthy lifestyle includes time for fun and play. Make a conscious decision to lighten up and enjoy your unfolding life. Perhaps this month you might set an intention to consciously engage in at least one fun activity per week either by yourself or with family or friends. How might your life be different if you make time for fun?
5. BE connected. As living beings, the natural order of being is in relationships. Times of solitude are generative; but loneliness is destructive. Find your place in community…and thrive.
6. BE in the present moment. The present moment exists beyond the flow of time as we typically experience it in our everyday lives. The present moment is really the only moment there is in which we can act. It is the only opening we have to take action in the world. As such, the present moment holds unlimited potential for us. We can think about taking action in the future or regret actions we took in the past, but we can only take action in this now moment. This is why the present moment is the only moment from which we can tap into our true power. When we are centered in the present moment, we remember our truth through our reconnection to who we really are.
Living from a place of BE-ing results in inner motivation based on who you really are that is then expressed as meaningful and loving action for self, family, community and the world.
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