Have you ever noticed that one of the first questions we're asked is,
So what have you been up to?
It's a question that almost invites us to list everything we've done.
We've been working,
Exercising,
Cleaning the house,
Running errands,
Trying to stay on top of everything.
Somewhere along the way,
We've become a society that values doing.
The busier we are,
The more successful we seem.
The more productive we are,
The more worthwhile we feel.
But I wonder,
When did simply being become not enough.
Many of us feel uncomfortable when there's nothing to do.
We reach for our phone,
We turn on the television,
And we find another task.
And not because it needs doing,
But because we've forgotten how to simply sit with ourselves.
And the irony is that some of the most meaningful moments in life aren't found in anything doing at all.
They're found in watching a sunrise,
Or listening to the rain,
Or maybe sitting beside someone you love,
Or watching your child laugh,
Or patting your dog,
Or looking out at the ocean.
These moments don't ask anything of us,
They simply invite us to be present.
Life isn't just something to get through by ticking off one task after another.
It's something to experience.
And there's nothing wrong with working hard,
And there's nothing wrong with having goals.
Doing in life has its place,
But so does being.
The two aren't opposites,
They're partners.
When all we ever do is strive for the next thing,
We can miss the life that's unfolding in front of us right now.
So perhaps today,
Instead of asking yourself,
What do you need to do next?
Ask yourself,
When was the last time I simply allowed myself to be?
And you might be surprised by what you notice.
Thank you for listening and I hope you can find a few moments today to stop doing.
And simply be.
