18 Jul 2007, Posted by Josh Allan Dykstra in Life, No Comments. Tagged activism, branding, ideas, philosophy

Easy Vs. Simple

Have you ever noticed that people do stupid things?

Of course you have; we’ve all seen it (and done it).

I have become overwhelmingly frustrated with this idea recently: THINK. (It’s a novel concept, I realize.) Just THINK before you do something… it will save everyone a whole lot of trouble.

The problem, though, is that most people probably do think that they think before they act, and yet we’re left with a world reeling from nearly incomprehensible stupidity.

How do we sort through the chaos to find good decisions? How do we get through the mess of constant OPINION (which often comes in the form of advertising/marketing, but is sadly also heaped on by friends and family) that is trying to influence us in very negative ways?

I think about the people I know who are overly consumed by image (and living near Los Angeles, I know more people — literally — that are like this than not). Why is there such a fixation on IMAGE over FITNESS? It seems like fitness isn’t even a thought… but looking good — now that’s the most worthy aspiration of your life.

I think about people who don’t go to college when they’re done with high school. Now, I realize some people aren’t college-types, but then I also realize that I know, personally, SO many adults who are back in school trying to get their bachelor’s degrees while balancing 4.5 kids and a full-time job. The fact is, like it or not the bar on requirements for future jobs has been raised. Unless you want to work at the mall or sell coffee for the rest of your life, chances are good that you’re going to need a degree. I don’t make the rules; it’s just the way the world works now.

THINK.

Sure, I’m venting a bit, but my frustration really is born out of concern for the people around me. I wish I knew how to help people make smarter decisions with their lives.

I also know that there are probably some natural talent themes that make this kind of thing easier, but come on, how long are we going to live in our excuses? It’s your life, and it’s probably the only one you get, so THINK.

For me, I’ve come to believe that often our bad decisions are tied to the concept of EASY. Like, it’s much easier to get cosmetic surgery than go to the gym six days a week. It’s easier not to worry about how to find a boatload of money to pay for a good college. It’s easier to stay living at home in the comfortable bedroom you’ve always slept in, to not pay for rent, insurance, food, or cars. It’s easier to go to the local high school extension — I mean, Community College — than take a risk on a 4-year University across the country.

But easy isn’t for me. Never has been.

But SIMPLE — now, there’s something I can get behind.

There’s a big difference between easy and simple. A simple life isn’t, at least at first glance, the easiest. In the past year, I’ve discovered a program to help me organize my finances and another program to help me get fit. Are these things easy? No way. But once we’re disciplined with them, it really is part of buliding a simpler life. As counterintuitive as it sounds, discipline really does create freedom. I don’t worry as much about money, and I don’t worry as much about image, because I feel better about myself in both of these areas.

Thinking requires work, so it’s often not easy (maybe that goes without saying). But if we aspire to live simply and peacefully, it’s worth all the effort in the world.

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