A Life of Being, Having, and Doing Enough

by Wayne Muller

From the moment we are born, we are seekers. Our culture obsessively promotes the pursuit of money, success and self-improvement. At the end of each activity-jammed day, though, we collapse into bed discouraged by everything we have not checked off on our to-do lists, in despair that whatever we have accomplished is never enough. Worse still, when our dreams become derailed by the inherent tragedies of life—job loss, financial peril, sickness, or the death of a loved one—we feel devastated by the pain and injustice of it all.
 
Nationally renowned author, therapist, and minister Wayne Muller offers healing for the perpetually stressed in A Life of Being, Having, and Doing Enough. By learning compassion and mercy for ourselves and by recognizing what is most profoundly true about who we are and what we need, we can gain the self-acceptance so that whatever we choose to do, in this moment, it is wholly enough.
 
Muller mixes the writings of great spiritual and political leaders with inspirational anecdotes from his own life, inviting us to derive more satisfaction from less and pull gratitude out of the ashes of grief. The answer to what he describes as "authentic happiness" lies not in seeing the glass as half full instead of half empty. In reality, he writes, the glass is always half full and half empty. The world is neither broken nor whole, but eternally engaged in rhythms between joy and sorrow. With Muller's guidance, we may find ourselves on the most courageous spiritual pilgrimage of our lives.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Spirituality, Christian, Psychology, Personal Development, Faith

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Chestelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! Wish I could give a copy to every one I know. To get the full effect, it should be read slowly and thoughtfully because it is truly a conversation with the author -- someone I would love to count as a friend...

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. I kept it by my bedside and read one of the short chapters each night as a meditation.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The rating reflects the fact that I have read a lot of books quite similar to this so it felt like a review rather than challenging or stimulating new insights. My women's group struggled with "The Power of Now" together 15 years ago, and I read "The Wounded Healer" more like 35 years ago. Both books were referenced in this book or in reviews. However, if you are new to thinking outside the box about your spirituality, this would be a good primer. Without a doubt, for me, Wayne Muller's best work is in "How, Then, Shall We Live?" The topics are always current, and come with end of chapter questions to ponder or use in small group discussions. None of that was here except for a bibliography at the end.

[Johann Dong · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is the multi-level marketing version of As Man Thinketh. This is a book fulled with five-dollar words when a few fifty-cent ones would've sufficed. This is the story of someone who thinks he re-invented Buddhism and presents it with the same gravitas as r/im14andthisisdeep.

Move along, everyone. There are better books on the same topics to be read.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, refreshing read. Philosophical, sometimes references Christianity. Nothing earth shattering, but it is worthwhile if you are feeling overwhelmed and want to rethink your priorities.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great "pause button" for anyone with a hectic lifestyle (meaning all human beings). Everyone I'm positive feels overwhelmed by LIFE like I do often times, so this book was a nice reminder to step back, appreciate the small and good things of the world, and strive to live one moment at a time. I will say that he draws a lot from religious and spiritual texts and authorities, so if that's not your thing, a heads up to ya.

[Julianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am generally leery of self-help books as the wisdom they dispense can come across as shallow and hokey, but I thought this book made some very valid points explained in a way that was neither shallow nor too cheesy (it was a little hippy-dippy, it is a self help book after all!).

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really loved this book. I got it from the library, but am going to have to buy it because I know I need to read it again & again. It is, quite simply, a recipe for living a satisfying life.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very inspiring and a great reset going into a new year.

[Rick Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 2019, the leader of my men's group announced that we would begin to read the subject book in the Fall, so I bought the book and read it over the summer. As a group, we read a chapter or two at a time. In March 2020, the group stopped meeting in person because of the pandemic, and continued to meet via Zoom. I did not participate via Zoom. When the group resumed in May 2021, the group had already finished the book. I then read the book again. I underlined passages of the book on practically every page. For example, "When approaching a task, a responsibility, or some choice between this and that, take a moment before you begin and ask yourself: Am I truly able to say that I really love this? Or is it more honest to say that I can handle this?" The book is filled with pearls of wisdom like this.

[Anna I McClain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muller reassures us that we can hold space for beauty, rest and enjoyment in our hectic lives. He asks, "When we bargain our lives away to a series of endless plans and practicalities, when we sacrifice our heart's desire, over and over, on the altar of efficiency, we slowly erode our essential, sensual, wise, intuitive soul's natural trust in itself." I find myself returning to this reassuring book now and again for a dose of relaxation. A soothing balm of a book that reads like soft, lapping waves.

[LeeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so many beautiful truths in this book. I wanted to share every one of them. It might be easier for you to just read the book.
There were many tough parts for me. He talks a lot about the heartbreak we will face in this life. He kept coming back to how will we respond in those moments. Our responses to the heartbreak (and the joys) create the life we live.
Although I liked this book a lot, I don’t think it was titled appropriately. I was expecting something different.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was tough for me to get into this book at first. Once I got a feeling for it though, I could see its value. Culturally, we are often the opposite of living , being and doing enough. Or somehow inside ourselves we feel we must do it all now and always. The author encourages us to think of the next right thing and to think about sufficiency. We don’t have to do it all.

[Deborah Porras · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed my life and my ministry. All if his books are amazing. I used them to create a class as well. I gave read it a few times. He speaks from actual experience looking through the lens of trauma informed leadership and life well before it was a trend. A must read for any women or those in multi-hat roles.

[Debra Waites · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book because of my love for the movie Mary Poppins! She is so wise! and pretty! One of my favorite ladies lines she says is “Enough is as good as a feast!” So true!
This book makes you that point. And helps a person accept enough.

[Martin Ikeds · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a little redundant. Same message over and over. Simple ideas, easy to read, pleasant and inspirational enough, but did not “nourish” me or “fulfill” me as I’m sure the author had hoped for his readers. It’s not bad, but it’s only so good.

[Ross Demirel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great reminder

This book was deep and meaningful in ways to communicate key messages. It requires attention and flow in the reading. To some it may not be easy to read but once in the flow it’s a great book to read

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theologically, this book has little to offer other than "trust your inner wisdom." Yet, as a call to pause, reflect and appreciate, it has merit. Mueller's tone is soothing and he provides the common-sense perspective of one who is able to truly listen to others.

[Shasta · Rating 4 out of 5]

These morsels are meant to be savored. I picked up and put down this book several times, just to dedicate time to slowing my pace of life and better absorb the truths in it. That being said, it's a quick, easy read, but you can make a journey out of it if you like.

[Heike · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's ok to change your mind. That's pretty much what I got out of the book.

[Leah Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another life altering book by Wayne Muller!

[Annukka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toivoa antavaa, lempeän rakastettavaa luettavaa.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is like therapy in a book.

[Maureen Ferraro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book encourages one to go easy on one's self. I found it extremely helpful and I most certainly will refer back to it from time to time when I need a reminder to have mercy on me.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book lives on my desk. I refer to it almost daily, to catch myself again before speeding right past the contentment that is always possible. Muller has translated the experience of freedom and enoughness into a poetic invitation for us to accept if we choose.

[Stephanie Barko]

Muller's latest release was the November selection for South Austin Spiritual Book Group. Our Book Group was kicked off in 2005 with Muller's book, "Sabbath", so we are full circle with this title.

I appreciated the contemporary editing with micro chapters and some content inserted from Wayne's friends and inspirational luminaries.

It is both a modern and ancient question to study the meaning of "enough" in our lives. It is a question I have pondered for perhaps forty years now. If you think about it for very long, the question begins to sharpen your values and challenge the meaning of your life.

I felt better immediately after beginning this book b/c it helped me get underneath my to-do list and gain a greater sense of purpose to the movement and activity in my life.

Wayne quotes Gerald May early on and hits me between the eyes with
"Efficiency is the how of life. Love is the why."

Later Muller goes into why right actions do not necessarily mean right results, further exploring how bad things can and do happen to good people.

This title was presented to our Group by representatives of Muller's micro-granting nonprofit from its local chapter in Austin. What Bread for the Journey does is apply in the community what the book talks about. Our Book Group found that to be so cool that many of us signed up to be engaged in BFTJ's local grantmaking process.

[Geri Hoekz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Occasionally the thing that's exactly right pops up at the time that's exactly right, and it feels like a gift. For me the most recent gift of this sort was Wayne Muller's gem of a book. Muller challenges readers to look beyond our culture's pressure to cram more into each day, get more done and be more "efficient" for it's own sake. Instead, he suggests that we'll live more fully if we choose mindfully, possibly scale down and give 100% of our attention to the activities and relationships we consciously choose.

Before discovering this book, I'd been wrestling with the "having enough" part while working on a clean-out project at home. "Doing enough" has been more challenging; there are so many fascinating-looking activities and worthy causes out there that it's hard to choose. As for "being enough," I suspect that I'll be working on that one for the rest of my life. Part of growing up in a consumer culture is being bombarded with messages that we're inadequate as we are, but we can fix ourselves by buying XYZ. The messages are so pervasive that it's almost as if we breathe them like air. It's a lot to tackle, but as this book reminds readers, even the most difficult journey begins with a step in the right direction.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel that this book can but distilled into a probably 3 or 4 paragraphs. As I was at a time that I have been thinking about this issue in my life it was helpful in that it helped to provide a concrete jumping off point for my thoughts.
I do feel though that this book is written from a certain place of economic certainty and does not really address issues of poverty or oppression that many people face on a daily basis.

[Rebecca Waring-Crane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading Muller's book last week. Savoring each chapter, I find the topic, approach and writing style exquisite and refreshing. I may just need to own a copy.
I finished reading, or rather savoring, Muller's work some time in spring. This book saved my life. 4.75 stars. Prose lovely but occasionally a bit awkward, otherwise 5 stars.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wayne Muller is one of my favorite writers in the realm of spirituality and, well, our lives today, and this book takes on one of my favorite subjects: enough. Each chapter stands alone or with two or three others exploring one element of enoughness today, and while not every one is as powerful, the bulk of the sections are incredibly thought-provoking and well-written. Very worth a read!