Simplifying Simple

I have a 440-page guide on how to simplify my life, but I haven't found the time to read it.

Like you perhaps, my once-quiet world now clatters with the joy of a large family. Amid the din, I've had to simplify my quest for the simple.

The advent of a simpler life can be launched with a concept so simple it takes only a few words, yet its implications and manifestations have given birth to entire institutions and provided intellectual fodder for philosophers for centuries.

Still, it is better, more accessible, easier to implement - at least for me - if I can keep the message simple.

Too much interpretation waters down the message. Too much debate strips it of its power. Too much explanation distracts us from its essence, and gives us an excuse to avoid getting down to the business of doing it, of living it. And to live it is to change our lives in sweeping, everyday ways.

It is this: Live in love. Whatever contributes to the love in the world, do it.

I suppose I've taken the risk of sounding airy-fairy and hippie-dippie. But just for a moment, allow yourself to recognize that love is the only gift you will always have in abundance.

Recognize how different you feel when you extend it to others. Recognize how its unrestricted sharing infuses you with new energy in your own everyday life. And allow yourself to see how such recognition could change your life. If, just for today, you made it your simple goal to wholeheartedly extend yourself in love and kindness. To love lavishly. Haphazardly. To smear it all over the place.

Once as a junior in college, I found myself in a bar with a group of graduate students. I was the only underclassman in the bunch and they were debating ethics, lobbing names of dead philosophers like bocce balls with not a small dose of intellectual pride.

I was quiet, soaking in all of the ideas and insights, when someone who had too much to drink asked the underclassman what she thought. "Whatever contributes to the love in the world, do that," I said.

Silence followed as they waited for me to expand, to elaborate, to offer proof. "That's pretty much it." I said.

It's not new advice, but it's certainly simple. For me, simplifying your life is not to add another "should." It's simply to recognize that your degree of happiness equals your degree of compassion.

If someone curses you, hold her in your mind and bless her. If you feel like cursing someone, bless her, too. Recognize that the feeling of overwhelming compassion is available to you any time you wish to call upon it.

Leading the simple life is to witness how extending love brings you joy in a fundamental down-to-the-marrow sense. A joy you can feel in your belly. And then to surrender the rest. To surrender anything that takes way from that - whether it's an activity, a possession, a relationship, a feeling, or a simple thought.

Ghandi said, "Renounce and rejoice." It doesn't get much simpler than that.

About The Author

Eliza Bloom's new book, The Bloom Method, is now online, and you can read it--in its entirety--for free: http://www.momscape.com/elizabloom/thebloommethod. Eliza also invites you to join her private mailing list, where you'll receive an uplifting message each week. To join, visit http://www.momscape.com/elizabloom/thebloommethod

disinfecting cleaning services Arlington Heights ..

In The News:

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.

Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.

Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.

Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.

Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.

iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.

Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.

FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.

Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.

Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.

Simplifying Simple

Positive Attitude Tips