Why Simplify?

Listen, we all know things are complex; there’s no denying it.  The last stock market crisis is a great example.  There are more questions than answers and for the most part, it’s incredibly difficult to understand what we should do or why it even happened.  Oftentimes, the understanding is the hardest part.

But there are some things that we make too complex.  We work at all hours without figuring out why we work.  We set up technological systems that make our life more complex and not less.  We try too hard to “learn to be organized” instead of trying to figure out ways to make organization work for us.  We let our stuff control us instead of us controlling our stuff.  There are thousands of examples of this kind of behavior.

It’s too easy to let things that don’t matter consume our lives.  We work all the time and never toss out our cell phone; the cost is  we’re never fully engaged with the people who are right in front of us, whether they’re family or frends or a significant other.  We add on tasks to make ourselves seem more technological, but the learning of the technology and the use actually becomes more of a burden than a benefit.  And we miss out on the joy of life because we’re too busy and consumed by things we think we should do, instead of focusing on what really matters.

If there is nothing else that I can get you to get from this blog, both now and in the future, before you do something make sure there’s a reason for doing it.  Have a purpose in mind for everything you do.  Always ask why.  If the answer is “i don’t know”, then figure it out or cut it out.  Your life will be richer and more full of important things if you cut those that don’t really matter.

Technology should always make life align more with the values that are important to you.  Work should only be the focus of your life if it is truly the most important thing to you.  Time should be something that you cherish and not waste.

I’ll try to take you along on my journey to simplify and make my life better.  I hope you’ll learn something and share with me in that journey.