When I crawled into Al-Anon decades and decades ago, I heard the concept, “I am a human being, not a human doing.” I wrapped my head around it and began to remind myself to just be rather than do, and to remind myself again to just be rather than do.
It is a tough habit to put down.
This time it was, of course, a yoga instructor who reminded me to be rather than do. “Be more,” she offered. “Do less.” I am still, at times, at least slightly addicted to doing and doing and doing – especially now as I continue to do whatever I can think of to keep to the moon and back being more and being out there more. I have a quite full-time job with my leadership consulting and executive coaching practice, and I’m lucky and thrilled to have that. I have a quite part-time job with one kid still at home to be, at least sometimes, cared for. And I have a quite, quite, quite more than full-time job with to the moon and back. I may tend to think I have to do constantly, and I now have more to accomplish than I can accomplish even if I were to do constantly.
Quite a conundrum. Or a perfect storm.
Be more. Do less. That’s what she suggested (as we did our yoga practice). Even in my yoga practice I can possibly let myself be instead of do. (Even in my weight lifting and running I can possibly let myself be – although that’s somehow a bit harder to figure out how to do. How do you just be when you’re deadlifting or bench-pressing 115 lbs.? And yes, that is more than my weight!)
Be more. Breathe more. Notice more. Bask more.
Savor more. Trust more. Laugh more. Hug more.
I think it’s maybe my New Year’s resolution – and I don’t make New Year’s resolutions – to do less. And more less. And more less. Even as I find more and more and more I can do to promote to the moon and back, to find a way to do less. Even as I apply for awards, reach out for publicity, try to schedule more book readings, speak at book clubs, write for other blogs, schedule interviews with podcasts, ask more and more people to write more and more reviews, post and tweet and insta (more and more and more). Even with all of this – as well as all the other things I choose not to do – I can remember to be more and do less.
I can be a human being, not a human doing. I can breathe and ground and notice and check-in…and be.
Be more. Do less.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, and please share this post with others if it resonates with you!
Photo by Anatasia Dulgier on Unsplash
