“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”  —Leonardo DaVinci  

I crave simplicity. The concept behind it is so attractive to me. One of the best people I’ve ever met explained to me that they live life BEST when things are SIMPLE. When their phone isn’t buzzing and things aren’t flashing. I like calm, too, and admire those successful leaders who inspire through their quiet wisdom and the tranquil and serene. They set an example of how to slow things down just a touch. It’s a quiet energy mixed with peace. It’s just enough.

I call it ZENergy. I’ll sip from a cup of that. Don’t mind if I do! I enjoy leaving the television off. I get my news from the internet, and when I want it. No alerts for me. The news networks have made news presentation flashy and sexy. I don’t want small talk or neon lights, lit up desks, or sparkly blue eye shadow. I just want the facts. However, if Jeff Bridges were doing the evening news, it may capture my attention…

We all love convenience. You can’t beat all the easy options out there for us to find out just about anything we want in a pinch. However, sometimes there’s too much stuff to sift through. Why do we need all the minutiae and extra things cluttering our minds? All those distractions—overflowing inboxes, stacks of papers, to-do lists, junk mail from the USPS—are a real time stealer.

It’s time to purify. Refine!

Of course we need a roof over our heads in a safe place, a mattress that doesn’t hurt our backs and maybe an easy chair after a hard day of work or a long hike. A phone and a car that works are also on my necessities list. Things don’t have to be complicated. We can reduce the complexity of our lives and edit out the things that weigh us down. Simplification has intrinsic power. We remove the non-essential elements, and we sense the calm. It brings peace.

Remember when one project would take 5 stops on your errand run? Now with Amazon, you can—with a little planning—have everything on your front porch in a day. A true time (and sanity) saver that’ll also keep you out of traffic!

As far as simplifying your home, try one trip a month to Costco for staples like paper towels, dog food, laundry soap, or shampoo. The same goes for meals. Half the battle of eating well is stocking your freezer and pantry, and Costco has a surprisingly good selection of organic products and fresh fruits and vegetables. It also keeps you from going shopping too often, which in turn frees you up for the good stuff! 🙂

Restaurants are convenient when we’re busy. It’s fun to try new places, or go to your favorite Mexican spot, though too much of that can catch up with you health-wise. Salt intake and calories can easily add-up when eating out. It is possible to eat healthy at restaurants. It just takes discipline, making smart choices, and maybe taking half of your order home—since portion sizes are usually more than we need.

I love going to the market. Picking up fresh ingredients is pure joy: the colors, the variety, and getting what’s in season. It’s a simple errand and its proactive to making one to two ingredient healthy meals that help us take care for our bodies. 

“At first people ate simply because they were alive and because food was tasty. Modern people have come to think that if they do not prepare food with elaborate seasonings, the meal will be tasteless. If you do not try to make food delicious, you will find that nature has made it so.”  —Masanobu Fukuoka, The One-Straw Revolution

Life can be basic and wonderful at the same time. Things don’t have to be chaotic to be exciting. It’s not torpidity or tedium that people want—but simplification. I think the way that most of us want to live is working hard without jumping through hoops lined with flames. We want to happily and calmly do the things we love with the people we care about. To listen to each other without unnecessary things distracting us or weighing us down. To have time for the things that make our bodies feel good, like eating healthy meals and having time for exercise.

Yes, I know being mindful is the buzzword, but I would rather simply say—while taking a moment to be still—please pass the ZENergy.

The Craving for Simplification 
by Jet Widick

The craving for SIMPLIFICATION
Comes from the mutation of our nation
Into a place of obsession with communication
A fascination with sensation
The addiction to notification vibration
A fixation with a centralized location
The agitation from flashing lights and animation
No cessation in the never ending narration
Our aspiration for peace and calmness to enhance the stability of our foundation,
Might require a detoxification, a phone vacation, a life modification
So we can experience the pleasure of simplification… Gratification!