“One must not always think so much about what one should do, but rather what one should be. Our works do not ennoble us; but we must ennoble our works.”
We spend so much energy worrying about doing the right things, but who we become shapes everything we touch. When you focus on growing from the inside, your actions naturally carry more meaning.
Sometimes, we get so caught up in the endless checklist of our daily lives that we forget the person behind the tasks. We wake up thinking about the emails we need to send, the chores waiting in the kitchen, or the big milestones we feel pressured to reach. Meister Eckhart’s words remind us that life isn't just a series of checkboxes to be marked off. Instead of focusing solely on the 'doing,' he invites us to focus on our 'being.' It is a gentle nudge to stop measuring our worth by our productivity and start looking at the quality of our character and the kindness in our hearts.
Think about a typical Tuesday morning. You might be rushing to get ready, feeling the weight of all the things you 'should' do. In that rush, it is so easy to become impatient, stressed, or even cold to the people around us. We often think that if we just finish this project or clean this room, we will finally be successful or worthy. But the truth is, the work itself doesn't carry the glory; it is the intention and the spirit we pour into that work that makes it meaningful. A simple cup of tea becomes an act of self-love if we drink it with presence, and a mundane chore becomes an act of care if we do it with a peaceful heart.
I remember a time when I was feeling quite overwhelmed by all my writing deadlines. I was checking off tasks like a machine, but I felt hollow and exhausted. I was 'doing' a lot, but I wasn't 'being' much of anything. One afternoon, I decided to stop. I sat by the window and just watched the sunlight dance on the leaves. I realized that if I wanted my writing to be beautiful and soulful, I couldn't just rush through the words; I had to cultivate a sense of peace within myself first. I had to ennoble my work by bringing my whole, rested, and present self to the page.
As you go through your day, I want to encourage you to take a deep breath and shift your focus. When you find yourself staring at a daunting to-do list, ask yourself how you can approach each task with grace, patience, or joy. You don't need to perform grand gestures to be a wonderful person. Instead, try to bring a little bit of light into the small things you already do. How can you ennoble your everyday moments today?