Have any of your teachers, coworkers or relatives ever said that to you? As a writer, I’ve been reminded of that simplicity principle far too many times and even more so as an over-analytical, emotional female. It basically means not to over-complicate things, which we all tend to do in some of the most trivial aspects of our lives.
Case in point: it took me one week to buy a wedding present for a friend despite already knowing which gift I wanted to buy off her registry. First, I consulted with my best friend about how much to spend. Then I searched online for coupon codes at each store she registered (Hey, you never know!). Then I came up with three possible gift choices and combinations, asked two more friends for their input, and finally bought the gift I wanted to buy in the first place.
What a stupid waste of my time and that of my friends! Instead of going from point A to point B, I went from point A to D to X and then to B – all because I didn’t trust my gut and wanted to save a couple bucks, which I didn’t in the end.
Often we make decisions, situations or problems more difficult than they should be by over-thinking, trying to find shortcuts or saying too much. In addition to wasting time, we end up feeling drained of energy and lose focus of the things that are more important in our lives. The world is complicated enough and our lives become more hectic than we’d like but sometimes the best solution or approach is usually the obvious or easy one.
Seriously, when in doubt, just remember to KISS: Keep it Simple, Stupid!
Trust your gut. Cut to the chase. Get to the point. Move on with your life.
