Life Simplified, In Case You Forgot
Okay, so we’re all big kids. We don’t need anyone to hold our hand (well, most of the time). We’ve learned a lot so far in life. And we have a lot of level 101 classes in our rearview mirror. But sometimes, when you’re fully capable of solving quadratic equations or coding for a new website, you can almost forget the simple basics. Sometimes, it’s good to have a reminder of how to keep life simplified.
Doing Life As A Big Kid
I was reading recently that one in four American women over age 40 takes some kind of antidepressant. Twenty-five percent. They say it’s because the body loses its ability to produce seratonin, the natural chemical that helps maintain mood balance. But I began to wonder. What if it’s supposed to decline? What if our body is genetically programmed to have a decline in seratonin because we’re supposed to be big kids now and be able to handle things better on our own?
I’m not saying that no one should be taking antidepressants. What I am saying is that maybe if we’d give ourselves a dose of life simplified we would feel better about ourselves, our environment, and the world we live in. In all our strutting about because we’re so great at (fill in the blank), maybe we need to stop, and look back at some basic reminders of how to do life in an easier and calmer and more effective way.
Life Simplified
There are a ton of self-help books, gurus, and websites out there. And for as long as I can remember, there’s been a “flavor of the day” in the latest and greatest ways to connect with your inner self, be a spiritual rockstar, or check out into some monastic lifestyle. No matter what you think of any one of them, if you’ve read enough you’ve picked up on some common themes. Some ideas that tend to be present in most or all of them.
So, you’re a big kid, right? So you’re pretty smart? Then you have to recognize that if 30 carpenters are all using the same tool in just slightly different ways, maybe it’s more the tool and less the individual carpenter. That being the case, it would make sense to get back to basics and embrace the power of that tool.
Some Basics
Here are a few verbal antidepressants, or call them pearls of wisdom if you wish. They’re from the book mentioned below:
- Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition – Steve Jobs
- Everything responds to love
- Sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith – Margaret Shepard
- Money can’t buy happiness but it can buy a lot of antidepressants
- You can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love – Jim Carrey
- Challenges are course corrections from the Universe
So Little Time, So Many Sources
As I said, there’s a ton of material out there. And you know as well as I do that they’re not going to add another hour to the length of a day. So a concise little package of reminders might be a great idea. And I found one.
Jennifer Noel Taylor has penned “Love Incorporated,” and it’s a delightful, easy-reading little volume full of reminders of many of the tools of the “experts.” Again, you may not agree with them all, but there’s plenty to ponder. Think of it as a breakfast buffet of truths that will put perspective in your day. Your daily dose of antidepressant in the form of inspiration and gratitude.
I’d call the book cozy. Like the soft, warm pillow you snuggle up to. Included with it is the comfortable little smile you’ll have after spending a few minutes in it’s pages.
