HUMAN BEING OR HUMAN DOING?

One of the things that leads to stress is the "to do" list. I often used to tell my husband that I had a million and one things to do. I used "to do" lists and would get satisfaction from crossing an item off once I had completed it. This would give me energy to go on and accomplish more.

What I eventually realized, however, was that my life was being run by my "to do" lists. I also came to realize that I needed to be in control of my life rather than my life being in control of me. At some point in my process I decided to balance my "to do" lists with "to be" lists. After all, we are called human beings not human doings.

What do I mean by "to be" lists? These activities come from that which connects us with others and to the universe in general. If we consider what we would do if we only had a week to live, I bet a high priority would be connecting with friends and loved ones. We would spend more time "being" with others rather than "doing" those things on our to do lists.

Things on my "To Be" list included such activities as spending quality time with family, seeing and/or calling friends, and spending time connecting with my spirituality. My favorite activity for the latter is to spend time in nature using all of my senses, one at a time, to take in and connect with every aspect of the universe. One simple and favorite place to do this is in my own back yard, where I have a swing under a covered gazebo.

My challenge to you over the next month is to examine your life and how you spend your time. Are you a slave to your "to do" list? Do you provide a balance in your life between "being" and "doing"? Do you give yourself time to do the really important things in life that you choose to do rather than do out of obligation?

My plan is to do a new post monthly. If a reader wishes to get specific questions answered or share their experiences, please feel free to comment or send me an email. I am now reviewing comments before they are posted.

If you wish to review stress management ideas, feel free to go back and review past posts.

Enjoy my new challenge to you. See you back next month!