Human Doing vs. Human Being

Well said and words and ideas that make me ponder. This is a time that “coaches” for years have said, “who are you going to become when no one else is around”? It truly is a time to be more mindful of “What is….” Thank you for your blog

I went through a PCM course in Newton while in Grad School and this message has stayed true. It’s always been about adjusting your mindset, focus, and energy to being more aware inside out.

The basic tools of understand psych needs and being aware of masks and drivers yields the same idea.

Be where your feet are and make that space the best space it can be for everyone there in generally a principle I follow. Now, there’s very few in that space and in times like these we need to remember to get back to us and refill our tanks.

Thanks for sharing, great message. Keep up the great work. It doesn’t go unnoticed.

Thanks for giving me a wonderful phrase I can whisper to myself when travelling through the “I am not doing enough” land:
“You aren’t a human doing. You are a human being.”
This will help to find my own balance between the Being and Doing, and to create my way to get in touch with clients .

Great Blog Nate.
We often cultivate the skills we need at the last moment rather than developing them as an approach to lifetime survival. All to often our skills are developed out of hard life lessons (Covid 19 crisis) not proactive lessons. Clearly the SEL movement and training programs like Next Element conduct, bring us in a direction that develops the skills, characteristics and abilities you write about here. Nicely stated my friend… all the best to you and everyone else at Next Element!

Julie is so right. Our clients need our essence right now….our calm, consistent presence and warm, clear voices are as valuable as our advice.

I may not be hitting the socially correct mark here but I’m not convinced that we are not, to a certain extent, human doing. The fact that we are eliminating competition by replacing it with compassion and ‘neutrality in perception” is admirable, but too easy. Compassion, at this particular point in time is valuable. My own compassion is piqued in other’s stories; in those who have a lot more to lose than I do. Still, discipline, education, devotion, ambition, — well, darn it, those matter too. I’m not being insensitive to ebb tides of self-esteem but it is unfair to say “I feel bad about myself so you should feel no better about yourself.” Equality is great but at some point we have to step off and recognize that success can be something earned; gain is a side benefit. I don’t mind words like ‘mindfulness” but one has to ask at what point does life become a list of platitudes of behavior? If this is truly who we should be, then education doesn’t matter. Ambition has no place. Determination is simply punishing yourself so don’t bother because… well… You are a good human being, by golly! I maintain that if we follow this “empathy/compassion train too far, we’ll all just end up looking for sympathy. — and that is neither who we are or what we can be, and not a place that I’m willing to go.

Oh my. I so needed to hear this today. We had training after training and workshops lined up, all of course coming to a screeching halt. I have been disappointed in myself for not getting it together and figuring out how to do this all virtually. My motivation has waned, while my anxiety is up… compassion is in order and for me, too. As always, I appreciate your thoughtfulness and perspective. You are a gem. Thank you.

I am discovering that there is time to take care of yourself. I am discovering that taking a walk around your neighborhood is refreshing, energizing and full of wonder. I have discovered parts of my hometown I did not know about, beautiful sun-filled woods and gorgeous nature. Taking time to meditate and get centered first thing in the morning enables me to feel more solid all day. While this world is on pause, I am learning :-)!