Keep It Simple

“Keep it simple and focus on what matters. Don’t let yourself be overwhelmed.” Confucius

Live simply, so that others may simply live. Mother Teresa

Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler. Albert Einstein

Stay low, stay quiet, keep it simple, do not expect too much, enjoy what you have. Dean Koontz

To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter… to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring – these are some of the rewards of the simple life. John Burroughs

Keep It Simple:

In the flurry of activity that occurs in the new year, so many of us jump on the express bandwagon with our laundry list of To-Dos. We start with good intentions and great promise to conquer everything we skipped out on last year and then some … but wait! Before you commit to do it all and find yourself back at square one in March, pause and consider why you are setting yourself up for another run-in with last year’s slip-ups. What is the rush? Have you forgotten all those memberships and broken promises? Start this year by taking one step at a time. Include time to enjoy nature, time to meditate/reflect on your week, time for friends and family, time to read a good book and to create a SMART goal for each month that is not stress inducing. The acronym SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-focused. Instead of joining everything and watching it all come apart, take each step with intention and focus on one thing that you can do very well this month.

STOP & Take Stock: 

Yesterday, I was looking through my wonderful offerings that were going to expire on Monday morning. There were endless classes to take, tons of spas to visit, and lots of fun things to sign up for with just hours left before the price point jumped. I found myself thoroughly engrossed in it all as I weighted which class would offer the best challenges, free/easy parking, or quicker results when, suddenly, a light-bulb lit up in my head. Wait a minute, you HAVE gym membership. You also do work on other projects. NO! We will NOT be signing up for more stuff this year.  I stopped the madness and reminded myself that when we add too much to our plate, we become like the second ant, in the story below, trying to move big chunks at once. Let us re-calibrate our plans for 2019 and start with small and steady chunks.

The Ants and the Cookie
One day, two ants went exploring. They came across two giant cookies.
“These cookies are huge!” said the first ant.
“One of these cookies would feed my whole family for a month,” said the second ant. “But, how can little ants like us carry such big cookies like these?”
“It seems impossible!” said the first ant. “But, I must try.”
Therefore, the first ant started to tug and pull at one cookie. Suddenly, a tiny piece broke off.

“I am going to take this piece back to my family,” said the first ant.
“You go ahead,” said the second ant. “I’m not going to waste my time on such a small piece of cookie. I will find a way to take the whole cookie back to my family.”
Therefore, the first ant went home with her small piece of cookie. Soon, the first ant returned. She found the second ant still pushing and shoving the other cookie, but she was unable to move it. Again, the first ant broke off a small piece of cookie and took it back home. This went on for most of the day as some of her family even offered to join her. The first ant kept carrying small pieces of cookie back to her family until she had moved the entire cookie.
The second ant finally grew tired of trying to complete the task that seemed too big to do. She went home with nothing. What is the lesson here?

“Do what makes you happy. Keep it simple. Do the research. Work hard. Look ahead.” Gary Vaynerchuk

The simple act of paying attention can take you a long way. Keanu Reeves

The greatest truths are the simplest things in the world, simple as your own existence. Swami Vivekananda

Whatever we are waiting for – peace of mind, contentment, grace, the inner awareness of simple abundance – it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart. Sarah Ban Breathnach

Looking at flowers, simple things in life. I do not need to look at gold and a castle; sometimes its very simple things that are very beautiful. I am keeping my eyes fresh to find beauty in many places, and in gold, too, sometimes!” Francois Nars

Simplify Your Life: 

Did you know that there is a correlation between depression and excessive social media use? When we spend all day long on our various social media accounts, and find ourselves creating more and more accounts on new platforms, we need to take a break and reevaluate what is behind the behavior. Why do we need to be constantly plugged in to these online platforms? What is being replaced in our offline life? What is the impact, over time, of being glued to our devices and communicating with strangers as our everyday body and flesh relationships begin to falter. We need to not only be vigilant, we need to detox from our time online. Do not get me wrong, there are benefits to social media and, if used wisely, it can help us expand our knowledge base, build powerful connections and even learn new skills. However, we must simplify and set realistic limits.

Do What Makes You Happy Offline: 

Keeping it simple on social media could be as easy as hiring a Virtual Assistant or two to help you do some of your online work. It could be as simple as giving yourself time out from being online, turning your smartphone off during family time, and arranging visits with friends. It could even be as simple as deleting some of those apps off your phone and using your web browser to login only when you have to. If you find yourself living your entire life online and oversharing your business, it is time to simplify. Take stock of why you are pulled in to this make-belief world behind the screen, and seriously consider taking some time to shift directions a bit.

I have always loved reading, and spent a good part of my childhood reading everything I could lay my hands on.  I took my love of reading into adulthood because reading not only expands our minds; it helps us escape, albeit for a short while, into another world where intriguing and inspiring events beckon to us.  However, over time, as my social media life grew, my time to read diminished. I was spending whatever down time I had, after work or after handling personal commitments, online. Therefore, about 5 years ago, I decided to start using a Virtual Assistant to do most of my social media interactions. As time went by, I hired a couple more so I could get back to my life offline and really enjoy the things that mattered to me. I encourage you to do the same. Cut back. Take time off. Let us truly keep it simple in 2019.

Keep It SIMPLE

Missing Somebody? … Call

Want to Meet Up? … Invite

Want to be Understood? … Explain

Have questions? … Ask

Do not like something? … Say it.

Like Something? … State it

Want something? … Ask for it

Love someone? … Tell it

“In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Keep it simple, when you get too complex you forget the obvious. Al McGuire
Simple and to the point is always the best way to get your point across. Guy Kawasaki
Simplicity and repose are the qualities that measure the true value of any work of art. Frank Lloyd Wright
It must be a balance in everything we do, not too much of everything, keep it simple, not complicated. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Keep it simple and keep it real. The more basic we see our connection to Creation, the easier it is to feel like you are a part of it Jim Fargiano

How can we keep it Simple & Real? :

First step is to take your version of the truth serum and calculate how many hours you spend online. Next is to ask the opinion of loved ones you trust to speak the truth. Ask yourself some questions about your online engagement and what good it serves. Be brutally honest about your reasons for being online. Consider your options. Are there ways you can create offline time for yourself? What would you need to do to manage your time efficiently? Can you comfortably delegate parts of your work to an assistant? If you became gravely ill tomorrow, what would happen to your online presence? Would it matter? Does it matter? What tools can you employ to maximize your exposure while minimizing your online time?

In addition to using Virtual Assitants to simplify my life online, one tool that helped me get back to reading and taking long walks again was signing up for  Audible audiobooks. Come to think of it, I was harnessing two key areas of interest with one tool and it gave me my much-needed time for self-care back.  None of this happened overnight but, once I started to pay attention to my social media consumption, I was determined to make a correction. You can too.

The Present Moment
A Japanese warrior was captured by his enemies and thrown into prison. That night he was unable to sleep because he feared that the next day he would be interrogated, tortured, and executed. Then the words of his Zen master came to him, “Tomorrow is not real. It is an illusion. The only reality is now.” Heeding these words, the warrior became peaceful and fell asleep.