DO or BE? A Human Balancing Act Are you primarily a DO-er or a BE-er? Perhaps the answer to human fulfillment is a combination of the two?

I am watching the gulls this morning as they soar over the water and feed on whatever they find on shore. They are not worried about whether they will find their next meal. They don't store food for tomorrow in case they won't be able to find a clam or small crab. They squabble but quickly forget their momentary disagreement. They just ARE what they are meant to BE at this moment.




Listening to the Neil Diamond song "BE" from the Jonathan Livingston Seagull soundtrack reminds me that we are called human BE-ings, and yet we devote much of our lives to DO-ing rather than BE-ing. It's the drive to DO, succeed, achieve that prevents us from BE-ing who we are at our core.




I know many people who decide to work in an occupation that will afford them the luxuries that they believe will make them happy...only to find that they are miserable. They are busy DO-ing, rather than following the direction of their passion. Perhaps they love art, and yet they don't want to be a poor struggling artist. They put their passion on the back burner. But, that passion (that gift) will continue to call to them throughout their life until they heed the call and express themselves through their art.




The challenge is to BE and DO. As humans, living in our economically-driven society, we need to find that balance, DO-ing what we love, using our gifts, expressing our innermost dreams.

Balancing the Physical Body - Movement

Not many people enjoy exercise. But, once you feel the difference it makes in your energy level, you begin to appreciate it. I try to think of exercise as just moving my body, keeping the energy flowing throughout my systems.

We all know that your heart is pumping blood to the cells of your body, carrying with it life-sustaining oxygen and nutrients. You also have a lymphatic system that protects your body from disease. This system only works when your body moves. Unlike the heart which pumps blood, the lymphatic system does not have a pump. It relies on the movement of your muscles to deliver disease-fighting fluid to your cells.

So, go out for a walk. Dance with your partner or by yourself. Or jump for joy! Bouncing on a rebounder (or mini-trampoline) has become the latest addition to my daily routine. Bouncing for just five minutes increases your heart rate and activates the lymphatic system. I try to bounce at least a few times a day. It's fun and energizing, and best of all, it's low-impact. If you have problems with balance, have a chair back to hold as you bounce. Your feet don't even have to leave the surface of the rebounder.


Just move ... in whatever way you can fit into your day, and make it something you enjoy!

Balancing the Physical Body - Food

We must energize the body with a reasonably healthy diet and activity regimen. I say reasonably because too much of anything quickly swings us to the edges of our balanced life. Even though we've all seen those great bodies in advertisements, we know we'd have to dedicate all our time and energy into shopping for organic, non-GMO farm-fresh produce or growing our own food and working out in a gym to acquire that body. Who has that kind of time or the desire to give up the pleasures of an occasional glass of wine or a decadent dessert?

 

If our body is out of balance, we are setting ourselves up for disease. Take that word apart, dis-ease; the body is not comfortable; it is in pain. It is trying to tell you something.

When the body is not getting the nourishment it needs to regenerate healthy cells, it sends us messages. The key to providing the body with what it needs is by listening to it. Make friends with your body. Learn the subtle signs it gives you everyday. After you eat salty foods like potato chips, does your body feel bloated? Does your ring fit more tightly on your finger? Are you especially thirsty? These are all signs that your body didn't need all that salt. When I eat food containing simple sugars, my heart beats faster and harder than usual. I get a slight headache. I can eat raw or cooked fruit, but not desserts that contain white sugar. When I eat grains, especially wheat, I am plagued with digestive problems. I've learned to pay attention to the signs that tell me whether I've nourished my body in the way it needs.

Try this: Pay attention to how you feel after you eat your normal meal. Tune into your stomach, heartbeat, head. What do you notice? Keep a food journal. Write down what you ate and how you feel. With time, you'll begin to see a pattern. You'll discover foods that help you feel energized and other foods that you might want to eliminate from your regular diet.

Keeping Our Lives in Balance

When I was young my days were filled with experiences that brought about strong emotions and reactions. I believe young people live with such intensity because the experiences are new to them, and they haven't learned to regulate their energy.


I didn't know then that the universe was there to assist me. All I had to do was allow. I thought I had to handle everything myself. I thought I had to fix everything and make the world a safe place for myself and my children. That responsibility led to an intensity that only caused stress. It's with growing older I realize I can allow life to happen without becoming entangled in it and still reap the rewards of a full, but balanced life.


With age I've discovered the importance of balance in my life, never leaning so far either way that I fall off the edge and into the excesses that bring about ill health. This applies to all aspects of life: emotion, diet, exercise, spirituality, service to others, and every other part of living our earthly lives. But, how do we live a full interesting life, feeling the passion of our experiences, without going too far? I still want to "reach for the stars" and "go for the gold." I want to tune into the abundance as promised in the Bible: I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). John 10: 10 . I still want to be rich in love and gratitude. Finding that point on the balance scale is key to staying physically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy.


In the next several posts I'll be discussing ways in which I've maintained balance and still experience the satisfaction of a full, abundant life.


I'd love to read your comments and hear ways in which you've managed to achieve balance.