Everything Is Simple

Life can be simple, but we overcomplicate it.

We add responsibilities, friction, and solve problems by creating new problems. Rarely do we eliminate things from our lives. It shouldn’t be this way. Life tends to get better the simpler it is. We should find solutions to problems rather than replacements. So much of the stress in our lives can be solved if we just look at what causes it and think about the simplest solution. We own too many things, we have more commitments than we have hours in a day, and we spend the finite time we do have on things that don’t matter. You don’t need a bigger closet; you need fewer clothes.

For a simple exercise, think about something that annoys you, and think of the most obvious, dumbest solution. For me, my apartment in NYC does not have a dishwasher, and I cannot stand doing dishes. I would spend 10-15 minutes per day washing dishes. In order to solve this, I bought disposable cups, forks, spoons, bowls, and plates. Is it the best solution? No. However, it was the simplest and immediately made my life better. So much of life is like this, but we refuse to accept it. We struggle to accept the reality that someone dumber than us could solve the problems we have in our lives. We think too much.

Throw more things away, cancel more plans, say no to things you don’t care about. Make your life simple.