It didn’t. We did.

Life, as a whole, has become more complicated. There’s more technology, more politicking, more social media, more power struggle, more entitlement, more sensitivity, more righteousness, more options, more of everything. The result? We, as the purveyors of it all, have voluntarily become more complicated. Yet, we seem pretty resigned to believe we’ve had no choice in the matter.

The basic tenets of living an honest, simple life haven’t changed. Nor will they ever. Regardless of how “advanced” our race attempts to be, there’s no more efficient or faster or better way to be kind, to be honest, to be trustworthy, to be humble and to Love. Those all just are and will always be.

It’s inarguable that there’s a steady, ever-increasing overload of information. From every direction. And so, it’s no wonder that we feel more confused than ever. Not to even mention our potential unawareness of the confusion – it can be a slippery distraction of the shallow misdirection by any number of the aforementioned “mores”. Or so I’d peacefully argue.

But, as is the constant is, the universe does what it does to keep things in balance. And, because of that, there is also more help – more guidance, more direction, more instruction and more resources.

There is both more good and more not-so-good.

I consume the good resources and, sometimes, the not-so-good; I read, I listen, I watch, I practice – I’m grateful for all that there is out there to broaden my knowledge, awareness, perspective and consciousness. The poetic double-edged sword being that those resources wouldn’t be as available as they are without the silent supremacy of the internet and its social media. But, where I see caution is that the good stuff can be as overloading as the not-so-good stuff. It too can become something to get lost in. Almost, even, paralyzing when we are searching for direction and for answers.

What happens when we search so outwardly is that we lose touch with ourselves internally. Inadvertently, we introduce self-doubt and we ex-communicate self-trust. And, when self-trust gets usurped by self-doubt, direction can be tough. The last thing self-doubt is going to let you do is believe you know how to make the best decision for your best self.

I’ve crossed paths with all sorts of methods and processes to “live a better life” – keep a gratitude journal, commit to a morning routine, do this workout program, eat that diet, clear out your chakras, clear out everyone’s chakras, decalcify your pineal gland, set your deep breathing app to remind you breathe deeply every thirty minutes. It’s all good stuff, sure. But, it’s also all stuff a person can get lost in. Easily.

There’s no replacement for the simple basics – the basic tenets of living an honest, simple life. And, truthfully, we really do all know what it is. It’s just that we can have trouble taking responsibility for the things that we should be taking responsibility for and that are easily within our grasp.

I get that we all need help and guidance and direction. We, as humans, are wired for connection – the right kind of connection. We were never meant to go through any of this alone. But, we’re also the only ones that can do the work we need to do in our own life. How many times have you asked yourself what it would require to live a simple, honest life? In all facets that you live. Meaning, if you don’t like your job; what can you do about it? If you’re struggling in a relationship; how can you fix it? If your physical health is poor; what’s the action plan? And while there certainly are big challenges when it comes to working through deep trauma and mental health matters, a lot of stuff in life really is simple. Really simple. Finding the answer or the way doesn’t really take much more than a concerted effort to actually face the uncertainly in your life, ask the question, use some common sense, employ a little communication (aka ask for help) and remembering to Love yourself all the while. Or, at least try your best to. But, when we search and search and search for some magical path, we can really lose sight of the simplicity of where we want to be relative to where we are.

I know I might be met with some “easier said than done” sentiments, but to that I say, with kindness, “no”. Those are just the sentiments that convince us into a free pass to dodge responsibility. So much of life is that you just do what you have to do to get where you want to get. The right way. The honest way. The way where you put in the work. The way where you find what is in alignment with you. The way where you Love yourself. It’s not about over-thinking it, over-calculating it or over-exhausting it. You trust the simple basics and you trust yourself.

Step one: have the conversation. With yourself.

Be Love.