One Reason We Make Simple Things Complicated

Most things are simpler than they appear. We don’t always see this because…

The human brain is a stimulation hog.  It likes being busy.

The brain keeps busy by understanding, solving, deciding, debating, arguing, influencing, growing, opine-ing or whining. It’s always working.

This means that even if something is simple, our brain concludes that it can’t be that simple and proceeds to make it much more complicated (more stimulation).

It does this so that we can tell ourselves and prove to ourselves that it really was complicated – even though it was really simple.

The brain’s hunger for stimulation is why we are addicted to any technology that will provide us with more information, faster. It explains the explosive growth of the smartphone, wireless, the internet, computers, Google, tablets, Facebook, email, and so much more.

Because of our insatiable thirst for current information, it also manifests most visibly when we disassociate from people who are physically in front of us. For example, a couple in a restaurant having dinner who don’t talk to each other, preferring the more ‘stimulating’ action on their smartphones.

So, in this hyper-stimulating environment, how do you get it back to simple?

One way is to go tech-free for a day. Turn everything off. Monitor the way you feel. Observe your feelings, your anxiety, your brain – and its focus.

During this time, consider something that seems complicated now and ask yourself how you can get it simple.

Talk out loud to yourself. Listen carefully to what you are actually saying to yourself. Monitor this “self-talk”.

Write these thoughts down on paper. Keep asking yourself – what’s the simple part of this? What seems to make it complicated? What can I do to keep it simple?

And, listen carefully to your answers.

With all tech off.

The answers may surprise you.