Keep It Simple

"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple." - Dr Seuss

As humans we tend to over-complicate things. Life itself is a very complex system, but I truly believe that we often make things harder than they need to be.  

When we approached a new decade back in 2020, my New Year's resolution was to simplify things in my life. I told my friends, family and co-workers that my focus for 2020 forward would be to "Simplify".  Get back to the basics. Find joy in the little things. Make teeny-tiny changes, improvements and shifts. Focus in on what matters most. If something works do more of it, if it doesn't stop doing it.

Little did I know at the time what we would be up against as the year unfolded.  Life as we know it would be turned upside down with the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Work stoppages, furlough's, layoffs and changes in how we go forward in doing business for the foreseeable future. Stay-at-home orders, quarantine, travel bans, business closures. Work from home, and home-schooling would become the new normal. Life has been forever changed.  This has become a resolution for the world to take to heart as we work through these unprecedented times.

One overly simplified approach I have taken to living a happier life is to find ways to do more of what makes you happy, and stop doing what doesn't. Seriously, if you don't like doing something ask yourself if it is critical and necessary. If it is not, stop doing it! If it is, then you may need to dig a bit deeper. What is it about it that you don't enjoy? Can you find a way to change something about it to make it more enjoyable? Sometimes it just needs an attitude adjustment?

We need to work to simplify things. We need to work on getting back to the basics. We have to remind ourselves of all of the simple things that truly matter most. Things that make a world of difference when we make an effort to implement them into our lives. Here are some of life's simple rules and reminders of things to focus on:

• Life is great, learn to live it. Life is too valuable and too short to be anything but happy, so make the most of it. 
• Live every day with purpose and on purpose, intentionally.  
• Find and grow your passions. Do what you love and love what you do. 
• Believe in yourself and your dreams, and believe you can and will achieve them. Dare to dream, and dream big. If you desire more, do something about it.
• If you do not go after what you want in life, you'll never have it. If you do not ask the question, the answer will always be no. If you do not take a step forward, you will always stay in the same place. 
• Be willing to take chances and risks. Face your fears head on. Feel the fear and take action anyways. 
• Set goals and take daily actions upon them.
• Practice persistence and perseverance. Don't give up and don't give in. Try, try harder and try again. In all you do always give your all and always do your best. 
• Create positive habits. Look to improve yourself in some way, shape or form daily. Take teeny-tiny changes, improvements and shifts. Learn something new. 
• Take care of yourself and your body. Eat well and exercise. 
• When you need it, give yourself a break. Don't be so hard on yourself. Find time to relax, meditate and just breathe. 
• Smile often and have fun. Laugh with others and as much as you can. Listen to music that moves you. Sing like no one is listening and dance like no one is watching. 
• Love deeply and forgive quickly. Learn to forgive yourself and others. Be kind to others. Share with others. Give to others. Find opportunities to practice intentional acts of kindness every day. Be courteous and respectful at all times. 
• Actively seek ways to add value to other people's lives. Do your share to make things better, and always leave things better than you found it. 
• Embrace change. Work to find the positive in everything. Carry an attitude of gratitude in all you do. 
• Release the past with exception of what you have learned from it. The past is exactly that, the past. You cannot change the past. You can only strive to do better in the future. You are who you are today because of the life you have lived to this point. You are a culmination of your past thoughts, beliefs, habits and actions. Own it and take 100% responsibility for your life. Remember that life happens for you, not to you. 
• Prepare for the future but don't waste your time worrying about what may or may not unfold. 
• Learn to live in the here and now. Focus in on the present and cherish each moment. Focus in on what matters most. Find joy in the little things and learn to appreciate them. Focus on what you already have, not what you do not. Focus on what you can control, your thoughts, your attitudes, your beliefs and your actions. 

The rules to life are simple, just not always easy. Some things are easy say, hard do. Understand that just because something is simple to do doesn't mean it will be easy. It all takes work to put into action. But doing so will add clarity to your life and in turn create more simplicity in what you do and why you do it. Do more of what makes you feel good and stop doing things that don't benefit you. 

Simplify your life, your mind, your surroundings and your actions. Take things one step at a time, one day at a time, one moment at a time. Don't wait. Start now. There is no better time than now to start living the life you deserve. Realize that often life's regrets aren't about the things we did, but usually about the things we didn't have the courage to do. Strive to make the rest of our lives the best of our lives. Life is a journey, not a destination, learn to enjoy the trip.

Make today a great day!

Curtis

"The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak." - Hans Hofmann