Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated

The  Meaning of This
This quote hit me pretty hard, once I started thinking about it. What if it did n’t matter what kind of car you drove. What if it did n’t matter how nice your house was, so long as it was functional? It got me thinking about how much of our lives are complicated only because we choose to make it so.

How do we complicate things beyond need? When we get a laptop, suddenly everywhere is the office. To me, that’s more complicated than necessary. Same with smart phones and tablets. Yes, they can be useful, but how much easier do they make your life, or are they a complication? If you have to worry about the battery and how many bars you have, how much help is it in simplifying our lives?

Why is simplicity important?  
I believe simplicity is important in our lives. Whether it’s a camping trip with no phones, computers or microwaves or if it’s just a relaxing evening with a book and a fireplace, going simple can be a great way to reduce your stress and relax.

Simplification is a useful tool to help you unwind. Reduction of extraneous input (phone, kids, parents, loud sounds, bright lights, phones, computers or whatever) and focusing on the one simple thing (which could be kids, loud music or computers) really helps me.

Sometimes I can get a bit overloaded with input, distractions and the frenetic pace of our modern life. Sometimes we just need to simplify, even if it’s only for a few hours. This can really help the body and sensory system recharge and be ready for another busy day. At least, it works for me. How about you?

Where can I apply this in my life?
What do we really need to live? There are the basics: food, water, clothing and shelter. Then there are a few more, connections with others, information/education and health. Once we get beyond the basic needs, often make things more complex than is necessary.

Think it through, and come up with some ideas, including what to do with the extra time and energy that used to go into the complexity you just downgraded. Feel free to try this again and again, until you are more comfortable with yourself. And check back each year to see if you want to change things around or stay the course.

It’s your life, and your choice. Try something, see how it works, then try making some adjustments. Perhaps you get more out of that complexity than you initially thought. Don’t feel bad about adding it back, there is such a thing as “too little,” and it’s a personal decision just like “too much.”