Let’s Simplify – Thoughts On Simplifying Our Lives

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with your days. Like you’re doing way to much. Or maybe the exact opposite, and not getting anything accomplished! I have days just like both of these. Sometimes I feel so stressed out and so I don’t do any of what is supposed to be getting done.

Let’s Simplify

God talks about in Mosiah that “Man should not walk faster than he has strength”

Mosiah 4:27 And see that all these things are done in wisdom and ^aorder; for it is not requisite that a man should run ^bfaster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.

Sometimes I feel like I am trying to not just walk, but sprint through my days.  I am going to base this post on two of my most favorite talks.   One by Dallin H. Oaks called “Good, Better, Best” and also “Of Things That Matter Most” by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf.  Both of these talks have really hit in a strong walk.  I love the message of these two talks, although different they go hand in hand in talking about how we should fill our days by following the spirit and doing the right things.  

My husband’s brother for Christmas last year gave us a Vinyl Tile that said “Simplify”. At first I thought “well that’s weird”, but then I started to think about all that the word meant.

 Simplify means to

• To make simple of simpler, as:
• To reduce in complexity or extent.
• To reduce to fundamental parts.
• To make easier to understand.
• To make less complicated, clearer, or easier

I remember being in college and not understanding a certain concept that was being taught, so I would go to the lab and they would teach me a way to “Simplify” or make it less complex, and I was able to understand.

Sometimes we have loads of good things to do in our live and it feels really complex. One things I do is sit back and write it down and decide what is the best way to simplify this list…I also look at it and think to myself “does all of this need to get done”, but if I break it down and not look at it like….”ahhh I have so much to do”, I feel way better about my day! 

Elder Oaks said, “We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families. Most of us have more things expected of us than we can possibly do. As breadwinners, as parents, as Church workers and members, we face many choices on what we will do with our time and other resources. He goes on to talk about how we need to understand that even if it is a good thing to do it doesn’t mean we have to do it! He says “The number of good things we can do far exceeds the time available to accomplish them”

Jesus taught this principle in the home of Martha. While she was “cumbered about much serving” (Luke 10:40), her sister, Mary, “sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word” (v. 39). When Martha complained that her sister had left her to serve alone, Jesus commended Martha for what she was doing (v. 41) but taught her that “one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (v. 42). It was praiseworthy for Martha to be “careful and troubled about many things” (v. 41), but learning the gospel from the Master Teacher was more “needful.” The scriptures contain other teachings that some things are more blessed than others (see Acts 20:35; Alma 32:14–15).

Consider how we use our time in the choices we make in viewing television, playing video games, surfing the Internet, or reading books or magazines. Of course it is good to view wholesome entertainment or to obtain interesting information. But not everything of that sort is worth the portion of our life we give to obtain it. Some things are better, and others are best. When the Lord told us to seek learning, He said, “Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom” Elder Oaks

One of the key things Elder Oaks talks about is Family Activities. He says,

“Some of our most important choices concern family activities. Many breadwinners worry that their occupations leave too little time for their families. There is no easy formula for that contest of priorities. However, I have never known of a man who looked back on his working life and said, “I just didn’t spend enough time with my job.”

Remember when I wrote about my little persistent 1 year old that just wanted me to sit with him and look at a book. That was a huge moment in my life where I learned, There are plenty of good things for me to be doing, but that was the best!

Elder Oaks goes on to talk about over scheduling our kids and tells us to be careful with that. 

“The amount of children-and-parent time absorbed in the good activities of private lessons, team sports, and other school and club activities also needs to be carefully regulated. Otherwise, children will be over scheduled  and parents will be frazzled and frustrated. Parents should act to preserve time for family prayer, family scripture study, family home evening, and the other precious togetherness and individual one-on-one time that binds a family together and fixes children’s values on things of eternal worth. Parents should teach gospel priorities through what they do with their children.”

Another things he talks about, and I think this applies to all of us empty nesters or not and that is eating dinner together as family. I know that my parents {though empty nesters} still eat dinner together. 

Elder Oaks says.. “The number of those who report that their “whole family usually eats dinner together” has declined 33 percent. This is most concerning because the time a family spends together “eating meals at home [is] the strongest predictor of children’s academic achievement and psychological adjustment.” Family mealtimes have also been shown to be a strong bulwark against children’s smoking, drinking, or using drugs. There is inspired wisdom in this advice to parents: what your children really want for dinner is you. “ And I bet that rings true with your husband, it is a good time for you to be together as a family!

President Gordon B. Hinckley has pleaded that we “work at our responsibility as parents as if everything in life counted on it, because in fact everything in life does count on it.” 

The First Presidency has called on parents “to devote their best efforts to the teaching and rearing of their children in gospel principles. … The home is the basis of a righteous life, and no other instrumentality can take its place … in … this God-given responsibility.” The First Presidency has declared that “however worthy and appropriate other demands or activities may be, they must not be permitted to displace the divinely-appointed duties that only parents and families can adequately perform.”

Elder Uchtdorf talk talks about what we individually need to do to choose the better part…or simplify our life. He talks about going back to the fundamentals of what we have been so simply taught!

I love this analogy Elder Uchtdorf shares, 

“Have you ever been in an airplane and experienced turbulence? The most common cause of turbulence is a sudden change in air movement causing the aircraft to pitch, yaw, and roll. While planes are built to withstand far greater turbulence than anything you would encounter on a regular flight, it still may be disconcerting to passengers.

What do you suppose pilots do when they encounter turbulence? A student pilot may think that increasing speed is a good strategy because it will get them through the turbulence faster. But that may be the wrong thing to do. Professional pilots understand that there is an optimum turbulence penetration speed that will minimize the negative effects of turbulence. And most of the time that would mean to reduce your speed. The same principle applies also to speed bumps on a road.

Therefore, it is good advice to slow down a little, steady the course, and focus on the essentials when experiencing adverse conditions.” This is a hard things especially when life is hard, when things seem to be going wrong we just want to keep our frantic pace and try to fix it all.

Elder Uchtdorf says “When stress levels rise, when distress appears, when tragedy strikes, too often we attempt to keep up the same frantic pace or even accelerate, thinking somehow that the more rushed our pace, the better off we will be.”

It is really easy to be busy. We can all think of lists of things that overwhelm our lives and schedules. He says. “Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives.”

How many of us do this?? I know I do.

So Elder Uchtdorf gives us a solution to this problem

Focus on the things that matter most. 

So what are the things that matter most, the “best things”! 

He says,

“The search for the best things inevitably leads to the foundational principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ—the simple and beautiful truths revealed to us by a caring, eternal, and all-knowing Father in Heaven. These core doctrines and principles, though simple enough for a child to understand, provide the answers to the most complex questions of life.” There is a beauty and clarity that comes from simplicity that we sometimes do not appreciate in our thirst for intricate solutions.”

I love that part about intricate solutions…sometimes just simplifying it is the answer and we have been trying to figure it out in an intricate way.

Elder Uchtdorf talks about Coach Vince Lombardi and tells us that every game he would go over the fundamentals of footballs, even though he knew they already knew them.

I think most of us know how important the fundamentals of the gospel are. We just get distracted by so many things that seem more enticing. We have so much information these days, so many gadgets that distract us and turn us away from the “fundamentals” of life. 

He says,  

“Yet amidst the multitude of voices and choices, the humble Man of Galilee stands with hands outstretched, waiting. His is a simple message: “Come, follow me.”⁵ And He does not speak with a powerful megaphone but with a still, small voice.⁶ It is so easy for the basic gospel message to get lost amidst the deluge of information that hits us from all sides.

So what do you think are the basics or “fundamentals”…He breaks them into relationships…I love what he wrote so I am going to just share the exact quote!

First, our relationship with God is most sacred and vital. We are His spirit children. He is our Father. He desires our happiness. As we seek Him, as we learn of His Son, Jesus Christ, as we open our hearts to the influence of the Holy Spirit, our lives become more stable and secure. We experience greater peace, joy, and fulfillment as we give our best to live according to God’s eternal plan and keep His commandments

Our second key relationship is with our families. Which we have talked a little about already, but I really like this quote. “Since “no other success can compensate for failure”¹² here, we must place high priority on our families. We build deep and loving family relationships by doing simple things together, like family dinner and family home evening and by just having fun together. In family relationships love is really spelled t-i-m-e, time. Taking time for each other is the key for harmony at home. We talk with, rather than about, each other. We learn from each other, and we appreciate our differences as well as our commonalities. We establish a divine bond with each other as we approach God together through family prayer, gospel study, and Sunday worship”

The third key relationship we have is with our fellowman. We build this relationship one person at a time—by being sensitive to the needs of others, serving them, and giving of our time and talents. I was deeply impressed by one sister who was burdened with the challenges of age and illness but decided that although she couldn’t do much, she could listen. And so each week she watched for people who looked troubled or discouraged, and she spent time with them, listening. What a blessing she was in the lives of so many people.

The fourth key relationship is with ourselves. It may seem odd to think of having a relationship with ourselves, but we do. Some people can’t get along with themselves. They criticize and belittle themselves all day long until they begin to hate themselves. May I suggest that you reduce the rush and take a little extra time to get to know yourself better. Walk in nature, watch a sunrise, enjoy God’s creations, ponder the truths of the restored gospel, and find out what they mean for you personally. Learn to see yourself as Heavenly Father sees you—as His precious daughter or son with divine potential.

Let us simplify our lives a little. Let us make the changes necessary to refocus our lives on the sublime beauty of the simple, humble path of Christian discipleship—the path that leads always toward a life of meaning, gladness, and peace.”

I am going to work very hard on this aspect of my life. I have so much good stuff I want to be doing, but I know it will exhaust me from doing the “better”.  So I will choose and be prayerful of the things I get involved in. Who would have thought the word “Simplify” could mean so much!!

I hope you will also remember what matters most and simplify your life so that you can focus on what really matters most. Your relationship with God, Family, Friends and neighbors, and also love yourself and learn to see yourself as Heavenly Father sees you!