#keepitsimple
Nothing in life, it seems, is ever simple.
As Jeff Davidson, author of the book “Dial It Down, Live It Up,” puts it, complexity is a universal norm.
Our job, as creators of our own lives and fates, is to turn complex into simple.
Some, of course, will put the fear in you NOT to “oversimplify.” These folks want things to stay complicated, so you have as little understanding about them as possible. The less you understand, the more easily you could be defrauded, ripped off or just plain taken for a ride.
There’s another part to life that started out as good, but turned into the devil: too much information. Did you ever sign an application for anything with oodles of small type full of disclaimers? Did your parents, teachers etc. always tell you that the devil was in the details?
Here’s what you should do and know: first, if you are signing something, know, like and trust that person to whom you are commiting. Let that person TELL you, in not so many words, what you are signing and what it will mean for you. Even if you had the time to read all the small type, you wouldn’t likely comprehend a good bit of it. Still, our world insists that, legally, they have to disclose it.
That isn’t to say that you shouldn’t be careful. But if you know, like and trust the person with whom you are dealing, you can save a lot of time by having him or her explain it succinctly. If you have reason not to trust that person, don’t accept his application. Have someone with more knowledge than you about the process – your attorney, perhaps – be your adviser.
The second thing that complicates our lives is just plain “stuff.” Davidson suggests that we become masters of discard. We learn what we NEED to save, what we want to save and what we wonder why we are saving. Space filled with “stuff” complicates our lives. If you can’t bear to be the chief discarder, or don’t really know the actual value of some of what you own, hire an estate sale expert. By taking emotion out of stuff, you will simplify your life.
Davidson also talks about having only the technology you are comfortable with. Don’t buy a gadget on which you only need certain functions . It’s better to buy the dumber gadget, unless you need the bells and whistles on the smarter one. Another thought: if you want to “move up” in gadgetry, do it slowly. The longer you wait to upgrade, the chances are more likely the upgrade will be cheaper.
Davidson has other suggestions for managing your time, stress etc. He stresses making choices BEFORE a situation arises, instead of in the aftermath. In other words, if you can anticipate what might happen on a given day, and can do something ahead of time that will make dealing with it a bit easier, make that choice.
The complex world will try to get you. To every extent possible, don’t let it. You may not be the slave you believe to be to “circumstances.” Sure, “circumstances” sometimes will surprise you. But you have a lot more control over things than you might realize.
If you feel the complex world ganging up on you, there are things you can do to create less stress over time, and simplify things over time. To check out one of the best such vehicles, visit www.bign.com/pbilodeau. You may have to change a few things in your life to make the most of it, but it can certainly simplify things for you over time.
Peter