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A Simple Life Isn’t About Reducing the Amount of ‘Stuff’
For some reason this week, my mind has gone to simplicity and complexity — the feeling of having nothing that I need to do and yet doing the things I want to, no matter how seemingly complex.
In life and work we think that complexity is about our circumstances — how much stuff we have, how many people or projects we manage.
We believe that, if we control things or people, if we reduce our stuff and keep everything in its place, we’ll be more comfortable with that complexity: that creating simplicity on the outside can create a feeling of simplicity and calm on the inside.
In work, there’s talk of being able to ‘manage change’, of being agile — words that imply some kind of control of or response to what’s out there, that being on top of circumstances is a first step to being able to manage ourselves and others.
In the personal development space, we’re seeing a trend towards minimalism — the premise being that the world is more complex now than ever, and the less ‘stuff’ we have around us, the less we have to think about, the clearer our minds will be, and therefore the happier and more peaceful our lives.
And yes, there does seem to be a correlation between having peace of mind, and being able to ‘manage’ everything life throws at us.
