Simple

   Hello there!  Have you ever heard the acronym K.I.S.S.?  It stands for Keep It Simple Stupid.  But that's not a very nice thing to say to yourself, so maybe we can rebrand it to Keep It Simple Sweetie or Keep It Simple Stud.  All joking aside, we live in a pretty fast paced world, and it seems there is always more for us to keep up with.  Between trying to make a living, exercise, eat right, keep our families alive, stay woke, and build our social media empires, we can get lost somewhere in all the doing.  

    This week I was contemplating all the things that needed to be done, and I heard in my spirit, "Simplify.  Let go of things that don't serve you."  Wow!  Such a powerful concept, but hard for us to do in this world of have more, do more, be more.  But truth be told, sometimes we are doing things that aren't productive in the name of just doing things.  How many "Shoulds" are you holding onto in your life, not because they are helping you, but because you feel like that's what's expected of you?  

    Jack Canfield gives a powerful question in The Success Principles.  He asks, "What am I doing that’s not working? What do I need to be doing less of?"  So often we try to ask ourselves what else we need to do, and we add more and more to our proverbial plates.  But what we need to do is to ask ourselves what patterns or habits we are holding onto that aren't serving us.  Maybe your exercise routine is making you miserable, but you keep doing it because someone else said it was the "best" way to get fit.  Can you find a routine that helps you feel healthy and strong and also brings you enjoyment?  Maybe you are allocating money and time towards things you don't really care about because your mother, boss, neighbor, or friend made you feel like you should.  Again, how can you simplify your life so that it fits your goals and needs?  Can you learn to let go of those things that aren't serving you?  

    Just because someone else does things a certain way does not mean that way is the most productive or useful for you.  It's time to let go of the stereotypes, the "I shoulds", and the demands we place on ourselves because we think other people expect us to do, be, or like those things.  We need to ask the question, "What is working for me?"  and more importantly, "What isn't working for me?"  Then we can eliminate those things that aren't in our best interest and are only robbing us of time, energy and money.  

    Take some time this week to consider your routines and ask yourself truly how you can simplify and make your life work the way you want it to, not the way TV, pop culture, society, or your parents say it should.  At the end of your life, only you are responsible for how you lived it.  Don't waste your time and mental energy.  Keep It Simple Smarty.  I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.L.W.