Simplify

Before proceeding to read this page, please read the brief overview on the Six Life-Supportive Concepts System here.

What is preventing us from making changes in our lives is actually life itself. We get ourselves stuck in fulfilling work aspirations, upholding and achieving a lifestyle deemed successful by society (a house, a car, clothing, luxury goods, etc.), obsessing about financial freedom, trying to meet the unrealistic expectations of important relationships, and keeping up with technological, economic, and social advancements. All these leave us no time or energy to think, decide, and make any life-supportive changes. By deliberately and consistently inserting blocks of time in our schedule to simplify our lives, we gradually open ourselves up for more moments of ease, clarity, and inspiration.

The concept of simplifying is related to the belief in letting go, being sufficient, and trusting life. It leads to a greater sense of freedom and reduction of burden in all aspects of life. The most important point here is to unplug from the world. Without a conscious decision to make time to plan our simplification process, life-supportive changes rarely happen; and if they do, they seldom last. Most of all, these attempts are fraught with deep frustration, feelings of being overwhelmed or totally defeated.

The idea of simplifying is also connected to the concepts of choice and abundance; abundance emerges in our lives when we experience simplicity. It can come in the form of having more time with loved ones, doing things that we love to do, or having a better health as a result of a slower pace in life. Abundance is not about having more things, status, and power without looking at the impact these have on our relationships, health, and environment. The true value of abundance comes from the wisdom of less is more. Choice is about making a conscious decision to select among two or more options; choosing not to choose is also a choice, and so is choosing among two or more painful options—i.e., choosing the lesser of two evils. Most people who do not look for options and who do not make their choices in life often end up being forced to make a choice, reactively. It is by generating and choosing our options before crises happen that we are living proactively.

In quantum physics, the quantum vacuum is the source of all matter, although it is “no-thing”; it is in the source of all potentialities. In simplifying our lives, we expand our moments of silence, and it is in silence that answers arise. In the words of Rumi, “Silence is the language of God, all else is poor translation.”

Core actions to take to simplify your life 

(a)     Set aside appropriate time in your calendar to plan your simplification process.

(b)     Decide on the key areas to take action in. Remember: less is more.

(c)     Share your plan with key supportive people in your life. Commit to take action.

(d)     Main success factor: commit to taking small steps consistently. Make small, incremental changes over time.