Keep It Simple, Silly!

Don’t you sometimes long for simplicity?

So many things are anything but simple. Demanding schedules, pressure to perform, looming deadlines, unplanned setbacks, and a load of responsibilities leave their prey dry and exhausted.

What went wrong? Are you supposed to live this way? Is this your best life?

You may say, “Yes, in order to be successful, life will be complicated." It is, however, not entirely true. While there is breath, there is a way back to simplicity. The trap is to believe it’s too complicated to live intentionally, successfully, and fulfilled without constantly running from pillar to post. It is not.

It may make a world of difference to simplify some areas in your life in order to make room for what matters most to you.

A “simple life” means that you have the time and space to function in a way that gives expression to your unique giftings and talents.

Everything is not perfect and may never be, but you should have room to think clearly and live intentionally.

A “complicated life” means you barely make your way through the chaos of incomplete tasks and thoughts, constantly feeling overwhelmed.

I invite you to take a breath. Let’s talk.

Speed

Simplicity means to experience life at your own speed, at a pace you can function in full capacity and maximum productivity. For some people it is full speed ahead, hair in the wind, danger around every turn, and loving every minute of it. Others need a slower speed in order to keep their ducks in a row. Are you in a calm state of mind in your current speed? Are you productive in your current speed? If those are off, you're probably not fucntioning in your perfect personal speed. Living overwhelmed most of the time is like trying to function while in a chokehold by forces outside of your control.

Rhythm

You have a unique rhythm in which your person functions best. What is that for you? Envision your week, your year. How much time do you need to rest and how much of the time can you peak in performance? It’s different for everyone, so there is no right or wrong answer. These proportions need to be right.

Seasons

The season you are in right now will change, no matter what it is. Sometimes you can’t avoid chaos, so do what you have to in order to get through it. If it is a constant in your life though, it will take its toll. Some things need to change to get you in your appropriate season if you constantly feel stifled.

Choices

When you have come to a place in life where you have lost your power to choose, you are in bondage. Humans don’t function well in captivity. Don’t be surprised if your life seems complicated and out of control when you have lost all your freedom to make decisions. No matter how small or insignificant, everyone needs to have the power to choose.

Dream-time

Somewhere in your days and hours needs to be a sacred appointment with you—time with your own thoughts to take stock and dream. It sets us apart from the animal kingdom that functions from pure instinct. Instinct is priceless, yet not the highest form of life.

Intentional living, the ability to be conscious about where your life is headed, is crucial to sense order in life.

God

If only for a moment, consider God. Where is He to be found in your life? Where is He present in your affairs, your every-days, your pain, and your future? Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? How does that change things for you? How do you bring goodness to others in your world as you fulfill God’s purposes? Is it even possible?

Pathway

In the midst of all the infomercials, billboards, and road signs, we have to find our way back to God. What is the will of God for your life in the fast lane? Are you living your best life? Is your life a demonstration of who you really are? What kind of power do you have to change and to chose how you live your life? Can you experience peace while fulfilling all your responsibilities?

Do you need to simplify? Let’s see . . .

Do you dream about an afternoon of peace? Does it feel like your life is slipping away and you are missing out? Are there too many things on your to-do-list you never get to? What does your desk, kitchen counter, the floor in your car, or your stack of mail look like?

Are you angry, blaming others for crowding your space? Do you constantly have to come up with excuses for missing deadlines or dates? Have you decided your final resource is to simply avoid as many people and commitments as possible in order to survive?

If you answered yes to more than a couple of these, you probably need help—your quality of life can be improved.

Three stepping-stones back to simplicity

Be honest with yourself.

What do you really want? How do you desire to live? There’s a lot of talk about WHAT to accomplish in life, and not enough about HOW to arrive in one piece! Be honest about where you are. Admit to yourself if your life is out of balance with too much negative and too little positive. Be honest about the condition, content, and culture in which you want to live. Be honest about the unimportant commitments in life that need to be cut away.

Be realistic in your view.

You simply can’t eat an elephant in one day, so there are things that may take time. On the other hand, it took ages to build Rome and you don’t have ages, so get going on making your dreams come true. Face the facts while living by faith. Dreaming misguided dreams only brings frustration the same way not going after your dreams do. Find someone who loves you to help you in this regard, someone who loves you enough to be honest with you. Someone with great faith as well.

Be kind to yourself.

If no one else is, you should be! After all is said and done, you are solely responsible for your state of mind. No one is going to fully make sure you are in peak shape. That stops at about age two. Treat yourself well. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Take care of your physical body. Get the rest, take the nap, buy the shoes, take the vacation, go camp in the woods, get a massage, sip slowly your afternoon tea, make that phone call, and have that conversation.

Helpful exercise

Grab a piece of paper and pencil. Replace the italics with your own words about you, others, God, life, etc. I'll leave mine in so you can get the idea . . .

I love

God more than anything.

I love to

be creative and be with people.

I love it when

I feel accomplished, when I add value, when I make someone happy.

My biggest personal accomplishment is

seeing my kids loving God and successful in life.

My biggest spiritual accomplishment is

hearing the voice of God.

My biggest career accomplishment is

teaching the Word of God.

Ten things I believe

God is all and in all.

I have a purpose and mission in life on earth.

I can influence others for the good.

There are outcomes in life I can control, and others I never will. Ever.

Life is 80% what I make of it. Life is 100% the grace and mercy of God.

There is always more wisdom to gain in life. Knowledge only takes one so far before it stops short of bringing true meaning and happiness in life.

The best thing this life can offer is the moment in time you find yourself doing that one thing you know you were created to do.

My life began in the heart of God way before I was born and will continue forever, with this brief earth time somewhere in the middle.

God loves me, Jesus knows me, and when my body ceases on earth, I’ll be in the presence of the Lord forever.

I can leave a legacy behind on earth, a power to bring hope to others.

So, now you should have a page of paper pretty scratched up! It’s your page; you can draw, write, ponder, and say whatever is in your heart . . .

Be courageous, you are brilliant, make changes big or small in order to live simply. Simply be who God called and intended you to be. How would you know what that is? Read what you just wrote.

I celebrate you! You are wonderfully and fearfully made, equipped with everything it takes to set you on a path to a full, enjoyable, and meaningful life. No matter where you live, what your story is, or how old you are, your best life is ahead!

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Photo: My fig tree early in the morning, California 2008