I felt exhausted from just doing stuff perpetually. I was one of those people with sticky notes everywhere, on my table, desktop screen, phone, and also inside my head. They always reminded me to do things. If there is a way to learn the ease of life, I would jump right in!
Yes, thanks to all my todo lists, I became incredibly efficient in handling all my work assignments without missing a deadline and keeping track of every activity of my kids, paying all the bills on time, etc, etc, etc.
I would think a vacation would be a break from all these to-dos, and soon I would realize traveling came with a new bunch of to-dos with packing, buying things and more agendas. I have seen mothers of this day and age relate so well to this scenario and more so when they have a paying job.
Looking back now, I feel I have made progress! I am still a mother, still have an occupation outside my home and still get a lot of things done. It is just that I don’t feel so exhausted or anxious anymore.
After all, there is a reason we are called Human beings and not Human doings!!
Would you like to invite yourself into being more still and calm without dropping everything that you are doing?
Allow yourself to Blossom:
Well, if you are looking for steps 1 to 5 to follow to get to the state of ease, then think again. You would fall into the same “trap of doing” and might find it hard to see a different perspective.
So I would like to share some ideas and invite you to play with it and allow it to marinate and nurture in your mind. Are you with me?
My self- transformation journey, as structured in this blog starts with seeding, then nurturing and finally blossoming. My personal transformations in diverse areas of life have diligently gone through these phases. I could vouch that blossoming has been the most rewarding part thus far!
It is the grand reward if you make it till then, toiling through the nurturing process that is filled with activities. So in my experience, ‘doing’ is an essential preparation to get to ‘being’. For me the doing part was full of preparations, deliverables, deadlines, milestones and simply showing up, both in my professional and personal lives.
Different lives, different challenges:
For other people, ‘doing’ could mean making money or finding love or self-worth or struggling with ill health or disability, which makes their everyday life hard and exhausting.
If you are already at ease with all these areas, then I believe you are here to transform some other part of you that challenges you. I encourage you to find your challenge and explore different possibilities to turn it around. In my experience, it is a rewarding journey.
In my understanding, every human being struggles in one way or the other, through various life struggles- small or big. I have learned, when I take up my challenge and use it to transform myself, I ease myself every time, resulting in less struggle and suffering.
I have seen one clear message is passed on to me in workplaces regularly. The busier I get doing productive work, the more career opportunities and more rewards I get in the end.
It is no wonder I see everyone, either just being busy or trying to be working with something. When I returned home from work where I am responsible for my family well-being, another wave of busyness hit me.
Nature has the answer:
I saw busyness as the norm to be productive. I learned it quickly in my professional world, the more you work, the more rewards you get that led to more work; it was a vicious circle.
When I turned to nature to find a sustainable solution for personal productivity, the being of the tree inspired me. While I was a busy bee buzzing around from one place to another doing different things, the stark contrast of the stillness of the tree imploded on me.
I wondered if buzzing around really meant I am doing something? On the contrary, did stillness meant not doing anything at all?
Learnings from the tree:
I see a tree as a perfect embodiment of standing up for its truth and doing everything with its calm, still, and gentle presence that serves everything surrounding it.
Here are some qualities of a tree and a few reflective questions to embrace the process of being!
- A tree stays steady as long as it deeply roots into the earth. When it loses its grounding, it loses its life and could be destructive to life around it. How many times a day do I feel grounded in my body compared to living in my thoughts?
- A tree takes and receives as much water and nutrients it needs for it to grow and thrive. It takes and receives air, sunlight and space to expand its presence. How much am I willing to take and receive from myself and others for my needs?
- A tree grows itself and generously expands to give shade, protection, and shelter to people and other living things from sunlight. How am I able to serve others by just being me and standing in my own truth?
- A tree attracts the right partners (birds, bees etc.) to enjoy its fruits, take its seeds and disperse it widely across to leave its legacy. How much am I able to magnetise and attract opportunities to leave a legacy that I choose?
If you feel this perspective to be absurd or far-fetched or provocative, I totally understand. I am aware that human beings are not trees, and unlike trees, their movements are not restricted.
Staying still is something you might not consider to be useful to you. Consider to give it a shot even if it is being still a few minutes a day from your busy schedule simply to breathe deeply.
When I practice stillness and silence for either as a prayer or meditation, I believe it creates space for us to blossom into our best versions.
You could nurture some of these ideas and insights you get for hours, days, weeks, or perhaps months. Someday even if it is momentary, I hope you get to enjoy the sheer beauty of being without the business of doing.
- Currently do you focus more on doing or being in daily life?
- How could you incorporate more being part, even if it is for a few minutes?
