Simple or Complicated?

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As we approach holidays and family gatherings this week, I’ve been thinking about where I often make things more complicated than they need to be. 

Areas for us to consider where we might make things extra complicated are: holidays, relationships, work projects, itineraries, religion, finances, body image, parenting, home projects, personal growth, family expectations, and more.

We live in a society that creates pressure to perform, achieve more, and then post about it online. Simple seems like it is too easy or lazy and thus is unimpressive. But, when everything gets too complicated, our inner peace is stolen and our relationships suffer.

What feels complicated in your life right now?

We complicate things because of our tendencies toward:

  • overthinking

  • fear of judgment

  • dishonesty

  • avoidance and procrastination

  • high expectations

  • scorekeeping

  • resentments

  • lack of boundaries

  • perfectionism

  • comparison

  • people-pleasing 

We don’t just accidentally fall into a complicated life, we create a complicated life for ourselves.

If we hold the power to make it complicated, we also hold the power to make it more simple. 

We can decide today to move toward simple. 

Here are some phrases that might help us remember to return to simplicity:

  • Am I making this harder than it needs to be?

  • If love was my only priority, how would I do this?

  • How could I make this fun and easy?

  • Am I trying to impress people or prove something?

  • What am I afraid of?

  • Where am I not feeling like enough?

  • Is my striving for great, erasing the good?

  • Love is simple.

  • Simple is sacred.

  • If I’m stressed, it’s likely because I made it too complicated. 

Consider how you can help yourself make things less complicated this holiday season.

Your people want your loving presence, not your performance. 

Doing things well is important to a lot of us, but we miss the opportunities for love of ourselves and others when we complicate things. 

Be the love in the room at your holiday gatherings. 

It really is that simple.

So grateful for you,

 
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