Being vs. Doing: Rediscovering the Power of Presence

We are human beings, not human doings and yet, somewhere along the way, it feels like we’ve forgotten that.

We live in a world that glorifies doing. Productivity, achievement, and output are worn like badges of honour. We’re rewarded for being busy, for hustling, for constantly striving. Slowing down, taking space, resting—these things can be seen as lazy or unproductive. As if doing nothing means we’re worth nothing.

But what if that’s not the full picture?

What if being is not the opposite of doing, but the foundation of it?

When we spend all our time in doing mode, it’s often fear that’s driving us - fear of not being enough, of being left behind, of being judged. And when fear is in the driver’s seat, it’s usually not you, your true, grounded Self, running the show.

It’s parts of you.

The part that believes rest is weakness. The part that worries everything will fall apart if you stop. The part that says, “You can’t just do nothing!”

These parts absolutely have a positive intention for us, they’re trying to keep you safe, trying to protect you from pain. And they often end up keeping you in a constant state of motion, disconnected from the calm wisdom within.

In doing so, we lose something vital: presence.

Being is where presence lives. It’s where creativity arises, where insight bubbles up, where connection deepens. It’s where we actually experience life instead of rushing through it.

It’s in the stillness that we come home to ourselves.

And ironically, when we allow ourselves to be, we often end up moving forward faster. The ideas come. The clarity returns. We act from alignment instead of urgency. We respond instead of react.

So often slow is fast. I don’t know how many times I’ve taken a break and gone for a walk, and when I do, the ideas start flowing again.

Being isn’t passive. It’s not lazy. It’s a conscious choice to listen inwards, to slow down, to make space. It’s the soil from which intentional action grows.

This isn’t about demonising the doing. Doing matters. Goals matter. Taking action matters.

And what if our doing could flow from our being?

What if, instead of fear-based doing, we practiced love-based being?

Because when we are…when we rest, reflect, reconnect - we give ourselves the chance to do from a more centred, spacious, Self-led place. Not from panic or pressure, but from presence and purpose.

So maybe the question isn't "What should I be doing?"

Maybe the deeper question is: "Who am I being as I do it?"

A little invitation to explore:

🌿Next time you feel that urge to keep going, pause for a moment. Get curious.

• What part of you is driving that urgency?

• What story is it telling you? (“If I stop, I’ll fall behind.” “I can’t just sit around.” “People will think I’m lazy.”)

• Can you turn towards that part with compassion instead of criticism?

You might even say: “I see you. I get why you’re pushing. And I’m here with you.”

Notice what happens when you meet that part with kindness instead of resistance. Notice what shifts when you create space to be with yourself, rather than battle yourself.

From there, the doing still happens—but it comes from a very different place.

It comes from your-Self.