For many of us growing up, the idea of having a life that was simple was synonymous with being retarded, boring and unsophisticated. This was not something to strive for. Since the opposite side of this particular coin is “complicated”, that’s what most of us opted for. What if having a life that was simple had nothing to do with being unimaginative and low IQ? What if it was actually a space you could operate to create far more than you’ve ever imagined? Might that be something you were interested in? Before we get to that, let’s take a look at some of the benefits of creating a life that is complicated.

1. You get to have all of the trauma/drama you desire. Do you know people who are addicted to trauma/drama? It doesn’t matter what day it is, what else is going on or even if someone else could really use a contribution, these people have perfected the art of making a mountain out of a mouse turd. And of course they want to tell you all about it through tears, great wringing of hands, and incredible histrionics. How much do you desire to be around that, and how fast is their life moving forward? Not at all?

2. You get to feel superior. “I have a complicated life. I know that I am vastly superior because of that. You, of course, cannot understand. Please excuse me, I have just so many things to attend to with such important people.” Could that be the new boring?

3. You get to make everything very significant with lots of meaning. “Did you see the way he looked at me? I know he was deeply impressed. We’ve had so many important past lives together.”

4. You get to debate endlessly. If you are in an academic community, you can argue about the meaning of a phrase in anyone of Shakespeare’s plays for months. If you are a psychologist, you can debate theories with your colleagues into the dead of night, and if you are a mom, you can seriously consider every parenting theory ever written. In all cases you can analyze and discuss for years, without ever creating anything or taking any action.

5. You can take on the ideas of others as to what you should be and do, even when they conflict with what you know is true for you. For example, suppose doing business and being an entrepreneur is what truly excites you, but you have taken on the belief system that you should be a stay at home mother. This can create an enormous amount of on going complication in your life. The same goes for making anyone or anything greater than you. By making something greater than you, you insure that you can never show up as you, and that your energy will be drained and dissipated.

6. You get to live in the past or the future. While you are there, small things that need to be taken care of in the present are not taken care of and grow into larger and larger problems. Related to this is the idea that you are the culmination of all of your past experiences, and can never do anything that doesn’t take all of that into account.

7. You get to judge every thing, while never being aware of anything.

8. You never have to ask a question, insuring that you are stuck with your or someone else’s answers, and noting can ever change, though you are constantly fighting for change.

If none of the above is appareling to you, you might consider a life that is simple. This does not mean that you do not have many things going on in your life, or that you are not engaged with many people in many projects. It’s really about the choices you make to be in a constant state of creation and move forward with ease. Here are some of the qualities of people who have lives that are more simple:

1. They are present with what is, rather than referencing the past. By being present and dealing with things as they come up, new ideas and ways of actualizing them can be instituted with ease, and changes can be made on a dime.

2. They are willing to be aware rather than judge. This allows for an infinite number of possibilities to show up, rather than just a few. Nothing is excluded, and everything can be a contribution.

3. They are willing to receive. This includes having things show up in miraculous ways, without having to analyze anything.

4. They are willing to know what they know and not be swayed by what others think they should be or do. They never operate from should, oughts or duty.

5. They never make anyone or anything greater or lesser than they are, nor do they make anything significant. Everything is just an interesting point of view.

6. They are not vested in the outcome. When things appear to “not work out”, they ask questions such as: What else is possible here? What’s right about this I’m not getting? What else could we be or do different? What can we change here?

7. They have fun. They enjoy what they do, what they create and they know that happiness is always available and is always a choice.

Is this way of being more appealing to you? You can more away from complication to more simple at any time. It’s just a mater of choice. How much fun and ease are you willing to have in your life?