“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” - Confucius

Do you tend to gravitate towards complexity?

I do.

Simplicity is one of the hardest things to achieve. But it is worth it. It creates freedom, clarity, and focus.

Complexity greets us on the path of least resistance. We wind up there when we're not paying attention. It's the result of adding more without really assessing whether it's necessary (or why). We get drawn away from simplicity when we fall into certain traps. For example, copying others, striving for perfection, and overthinking.

Another reason we might get drawn towards complexity is because we think it is what we require if we're going to grow. The truth is actually the opposite.

Difficult or Complicated?
There is a difference between difficulty and complexity. Much like there is a distinction between simple and easy.

Good teachers know this. And if we want to be good students, we must learn this too.

Our capacity zone (the difficulty level we can cope with/master) increases over time. But only if we follow simple paths to prepare ourselves for the added difficulty.

When you learn to drive you don't need to know everything about the mechanics of the car you are operating. You don't even need to know all the road rules (yet). You just need to know what you need to know to get started.

Over time you will naturally learn other things as they become relevant or necessary.

A good teacher can communicate complex and brand new ideas/processes in simple and relatable ways.

High Sensitivity and Complexity
For highly sensitive types, complexity can become an overwhelming thing. It increases unnecessary demands on sensory processing. It is also common for HSPs to find ourselves grappling with. We often see the grey and nuance in the world. We usually observe before getting involved, which can lead to overthinking.

“I have made this longer than usual because I have not had time to make it shorter.” - Blaise Pascal

In communication, simplicity requires you to move through complexity and come out the other end. It takes more skill and persistence to communicate a complicated idea in a simple way than it does to use big, confusing words. While also avoiding a simplistic (overly simple) take on things.

In this week's episode we examine some of the ways complexity creeps into our lives. How can we give ourselves permission to keep things simple?

The more simplicity we can build into our everyday lives, habits, and routines, the freer we will be/feel. It's an ongoing commitment, but one we can begin to master if we're serious about it.

Over to You
What will you do this week to simplify something that complexity has stopped you making progress on lately? Please leave your response in the comments below.