Be Well and Do Good
Gott’s Thoughts
Be well and do good! This phrase has four essential words (sorry, “and”). Be vs. Do and Well vs. Good. My whole life I have wrestled with “I’m doing good” or “I’m doing well”. Proper grammar differentiates that the first is an action to benefit something external. The second is a statement of our personal wellbeing. In either case, Covid19 has caused us to take a hard look at these dynamics: doing and being. I know you’ve heard or said some of these things: I don’t know what to do. There’s nothing to do. What do I need to do? I should be doing something. I can’t just sit around and do nothing.
We have been conditioned to believe that we need to be doing something all the time. Our sense of self worth for many of us is based on how much we get accomplished each day. Did we do enough? Did we do something worthwhile? Did we meet the daily quota for worthiness?
Similarly, we struggle with being. We rarely give ourselves permission to just be. To be still, to be quiet, to be present, to be mindful, to be okay with not doing. If you are like me, I get restless easily. My mind is a hamster on a wheel a large part of the time, not able to stop long enough to just be. I feel guilty if I’m not actively doing something.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Actually, for us to find balance physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, we have to intentionally make time to stop and become aware of all that is pulsing through us. If that seems difficult, start with just a few minutes to breathe deeply and slowly. Integrate one or two things that can help you be mindful and reflective: walking, writing, singing, praying, meditating, exercising, climbing, talking, sharing, or whatever works for you. Listen to what your heart and mind are trying to say.
Doing is not a negative, though. However, if we are doing things out of the wrong context or for the wrong reasons, we will pay the costs eventually. It seems to me if we want our doing to be meaningful, we must come from a place of healthy being. We have to purposely take time to calm the inner storm regularly. For some of us, we may need to seek help in doing that. All of us will need to be reminded consistently. When we find our way to just being for a short period of time, we can discern how to move forward with purpose and love.
It seems paradoxical that to do good for others well, we have to work on being good to ourselves. Just remember, you are worth it. So, be well and do good!