“Noho” is the Hawaiian word meaning to “sit, be, act, or live.” It also literally means a chair… so where am I going with this value? I want to explore how the concept of “noho” can help us in our lives. A lot of people don’t know why they’re here, where they’re going, or how to grow and move on from the past. We live in a world where we’re constantly bombarded by distractions, from our phones and social media to work and the mundane of life. It’s easy to get caught up in a mindless routine or to feel that we have a purpose in one thing because it’s serving or benefiting others. 

Yet there are too many people breaking down and having quarter life, midlife, or other life crises because they don’t know their purpose. Maybe they did, especially when they were children, but as they grew older, they lost a sense of wonder, creativity, and excitement for life. 

Let’s face it. Life is hard. It wasn’t meant to be easy because we’re here to be tested, to prove to God that we’re ready and willing to make the sacrifices necessary to get back to Him. But we have to sacrifice laziness, apathy, discouragement, and other bad habits to become, to be present, and to be mindful. God has given us all the tools we need to succeed, but it’s up to us to take advantage of those tools or not. 

Noho is a state of being 

Some common ways to use the word noho is to attach another word to it, like “hau’oli.” Hau’oli means “happy” in Hawaiian so “noho hau’oli” means to “live happily.” Noho olu’olu means to live comfortably. Noho malie means to keep quiet or remain still. When I wanted to open an Etsy shop years ago, I actually wanted to call the shop “Noho Pono,” meaning to be in a state or position of goodness and righteousness. However, in a more literal sense, “noho pono” could also mean to sit nicely or correctly haha. “E noho pono” is the sort of thing a mother might say to a child who is sitting sloppily or inappropriately. 

For the purpose of this article, I want to explore how noho can be used as a state of being in an attitude, literal place, or mindset. There’s a reason I called my debut novel “Aloha State of Mind.” It’s a mindset, a constant choice we make, instead of something that comes and goes after a trip to Hawaii. “Noho” reminds us to choose what we make of this life and who we want to be. As we dive into the meaning of this word, I encourage you to think about your state of mind.

Are you present, mindful, and in a state of “being” or “becoming” something? 

To Be or Not to Be 

A family member recently sent a picture of Hamlet holding a skull and it took me back to my high school and college days of analyzing Hamlet’s famous soliloquy. When Hamlet says “to be or not to be” he is at the absolute lowest point in his life. Unfortunately, Hamlet feels so low, he has contemplated suicide and wonders if there’s a purpose to all the things he’s dealt with (his father’s murder, his mother getting remarried, his uncle becoming king, etc). Is life worth it? he asks. If we’re all going to die and return to the dust, as the skull, what is the point of living? Does life have meaning? 

The play answers some of these questions, and leaves the rest for us to decide. Is life worth it? The answer is a resounding YES! The answer is “TO BE.” Life is a gift, a time to be present, to live, to feel, and to be. It doesn’t mean that life is going to be easy. Hardships are a part of the plan, and if we can look at challenges in a healthier way, it’ll help us persevere, no matter what. 

“Noho” is “to be, to live.” Another Hawaiian word, which is also commonly used for living, is “‘ola.” We use this word a lot to mean “life.” But it can also simply mean “to exist.” 

With noho we choose “to be” instead of “to exist.” Instead of existing and letting the world make choices for us, we choose who we want to be. Nobody can force us to do anything, or to feel anything, including sadness, happiness, anger, and so forth. 

“You Choose to Be Upset” 

When I would get annoyed as a young girl, my dad said, “You choose to be upset.” It was annoying to hear at the time, but I knew he was right. Nobody forced me to get mad or irritated. Nobody could turn a switch on in my body and I had absolutely no choice but to be mad.  

We always have a choice. That’s the beauty of this life. Are we going to choose “to be” what we want, and who God wants us to be? Or are we simply going to “exist,” and let life push us here and there? 

I read a quote recently that said something along the lines of: The way we came into this world is less important than the way we will leave it. 

Isn’t that true? While it’s easy to blame our circumstances on parents, family, socio-economic status, education, and more, it doesn’t really matter how we came into the world or what happens in the world around us. What matters is who we are when we leave. Are we becoming the people we want to be? 

We are forgetting who we are 

“Noho” also reminds us that the purpose of life IS to live. It’s not just to do ONE thing our whole lives, go through the motions, and/or stop growing/progressing. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the routine of our lives.

Fathers can lose touch with a sense of wonder and creativity as they focus solely on working and providing for a family. A mother can feel like she lacks identity as she focuses only on nurturing and raising children. College and high school students feel a sense of worthlessness if they can’t keep up a certain image or grade. Employees and bosses fall into the trap of becoming workaholics because they don’t know what else to do with their time or attention. So how does a person live out their purpose, while living the value of noho, being and becoming? 

I spoke recently with a friend of an 18-month old child. She said she was exhausted—she loved her child, but she also didn’t feel purposeful. Her entire life revolved around taking care of that child, which led her to a sort of quarter-life crisis. There’s nothing wrong with motherhood, homemaking, and nurturing children, but we all need balance. 

Each of us are still humans, with the need to create, to do something that brings the “spark” in our lives. Whether that’s spending time with other people, doing a creative project, or making time for a hobby that brings joy. 

Unfortunately, a lot of people forget what they liked to do because they’ve become so used to having one purpose.

We all need a purpose and a spark

In the Disney movie, Soul, it explores the purpose of life, vs the spark in life. This was not my favorite movie, but I loved the concept of purpose and spark. We need both components in life to be, not just to exist. We have to know that our purpose is to LIVE, first of all. AND we all need that thing (or a few things) that spark joy. That spark could be a hobby, spending time with family, a creative endeavor, a project, a lifelong dream… it could be anything. But we all need both. 

With noho, instead of simply existing, we live with purpose and do the things that ignite us. That “spark” touches not only us, but the lives of those around us too. What a blessing it is to live with purpose and use our God-given gifts, talents, and “spark” to light the world! 

If you want a more specific article on how to find something that you truly love and enjoy doing, check out this article I wrote on mine and my husband’s shared blog, Kanani Life: 

How to Find a Career (or Hobby) You Love

Sometimes, when we have a hard time finding our purpose and spark, it’s because we’ve lost a sense of belonging. Discovering purpose and belonging is the point of my second self help book, You Belong: Conversations on Color, Culture, & Christianity. Read my book here: Amazon or other online stores.

Noho isn’t about just “sitting around” 

Stillness is incredibly important. We live in a world inundated with noise and distractions. Our phones constantly buzz with notifications, and we’ve become almost enslaved to them. We need quiet time. Yet despite the way many of us complain about work, quiet quit, or go from one job to the next, we’re meant to work. 

Hard work gives us a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. It proves to us that we can provide for ourselves, which gives us confidence. Work can also provide purpose for some of us (though it shouldn’t be our entire purpose, as we’ve already discussed). So while it’s good to rest, as even God rested on the seventh day of creation, it’s also good to understand that work is part of life. 

Also check out: Ho’ohana, the Hawaiian value of meaningful work

In the book of Genesis in the Holy Bible, when Adam and Eve were cast out from the garden of Eden, God told them that “by the sweat of they brow shalt thou eat bread all the days of they life.” 

By the sweat of thy brows = work 

All the days of thy life = work doesn’t end 

Life isn’t easy for anyone, and we all have to work to some degree for our health, happiness, and security. It’s easy to think that once we hit retirement, there will be some magical button that makes us feel good or that we can finally rest. But we’re not meant to rest forever. Even God rested for one out of seven days. 

A personal experience with noho

From personal experience, my husband and I have talked about how what we’re doing now are some of the things we want to do forever. I love writing, and I’m not planning to stop once I hit a certain age or a certain goal. I love learning and improving my craft, and then sharing my work with others (purpose + spark).

Likewise, my husband doesn’t want to stop learning once he builds a really cool thing or hits x-amount of subscribers on YouTube. His example of going for it in creative builds and projects has inspired others and fills him with a creative zest for life (again, purpose + spark). We should never stop learning, progressing, and growing. It’s what makes life interesting and fun. 

At his current job, my husband actually works with a lot of men who have retired but returned to work because sitting around wasn’t working for them. We’re not meant to REST all the time. 

Using noho in the Hawaiian language

Noho does mean chair. If you said something like “Aia ka noho i ka lumi kuke,” you’re saying “the chair is in the kitchen.” Noho really is a CHAIR. 

But if you say “E noho aloha,” you’re saying to “be or live in a state of aloha” (“Noho aloha” basically means “aloha state of mind” haha). So while noho does literally mean a place to sit and rest, it also means a place of being and thinking. 

Let’s not sit and rest forever, but understand that work is a part of life. We’re meant to keep being and becoming, not just to sit stagnant. 

In Conclusion

Noho is a wonderful way to pause and look at who we are now, and where we’re going. It also helps us appreciate how far we’ve come. All of our journeys are different and wonderful. But if we can “be” present and mindful of where we are now, it will make all the difference for our lives and those around us. 

I hope you can find joy as you contemplate this Hawaiian word and apply it into your life. It’s so important to look at hardships, work, and other facets of life in a healthier way, an aloha way. 

E noho aloha! 

✨ Sincerely,

Lei 

P.S. If you’re looking for a social media place with good vibes, I’d love for you to follow on instagram or Pinterest. I share positive and Hawaii-related content in these spaces! 🌺

What do you think of noho?

In the comments below, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this concept. What does noho mean to you? What difference would it make in your life if you applied the concept of noho? 

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