The Beauty of Simplicity
On March 16th 2019, one day before my birthday, I was featured in my best friend/ business partner's music video production. I wore a bright red wig and a black fishnet body stocking with a sparkly gold string bikini underneath. Needless to say, ... I was quite the character! At one point in the shoot we were having somewhat of a dance battle and it was my turn to bust a move. However, since I'm really not the greatest of dancers, I had to come up with something unique and spectacular so I could shine in the video. So I did a big flamboyant forward flip and thankfully landed on my feet. Everyone cheered! It was a great moment. I hadn't pulled off a forward flip in quite a while.... so I was really happy that I landed it and didn't fall flat on my face! Everything was great until the next day! Something was wrong with my right arm! It was hurting pretty bad!
I usually go swimming twice a week at my neighborhood gym, so I attempted to continue my usual swimming routine. But my arm hurt even worse during and after my swim. I even tried swimming extra slow but it didn't help. I went swimming twice before realizing that I had to take a break from swimming altogether so that I could let my arm heal. I was disappointed... I love swimming. It's great exercise...however, I was slightly relieved. "One thing less to do", I thought to myself. This opens up more time in my schedule for other things. I was contemplating the drive to the gym and back (often in bad traffic), the time it takes to swim, use the steam room, shower and wash my hair! It ends up taking around 2 1/2, sometimes even 3 hours to do all of that. That's a lot of time being spent for just 30 minutes of swimming!
Then one day, soon after the arm incident, I'm on my computer at home and my internet stops working! My good friend, who is very computer savvy, tried just about everything to get the internet to work again, but it was an internal problem with the computer. I pretty much ran my computer into the ground. Both my friend and my mother told me to start looking to buy a new computer. My mother actually has a vested interest in my computer use because we have an ebay business together and she depends on me to list the items we have for sale. But it was strange... I was actually relieved! Relieved yet again!
"Perhaps a break from the internet would do me some good", I thought. Or at least less time on the internet! Sometimes being on the computer too long can be quite draining for me. And I do tend to spend way too much time on the internet, more than necessary it seems. I love researching anything and everything on google! As it turned out though, not only did my internet malfunction, but my entire computer malfunctioned! All of a sudden I couldn't open up any files or work on my weekly blog article. What a bummer! But for some reason I wasn't that upset... or in a rush to buy a new computer. In fact, I started going to the library and visiting my friend at his office to use the computer there instead.
You're probably wondering why I didn't just use my cell phone to at least go on the internet and check email, right? Well, as it turns out, I don't even own a smart phone. I only use flip phones. You see, a while back I realized the joy that simplicity brings to my life. I actually enjoy keeping things very simple. And it appears that the simpler my life becomes, the more good things seem to happen! In 2013, I had decided to upgrade to a smartphone only to downgrade to flip phones just a few months later. It feels really good not to be trapped on my phone all the time like the rest of society.
Since I stopped swimming and stopped using the internet and computer so much, I've actually been getting more paid work! And I've been feeling less stressed! It's pretty crazy... I know. Most people would probably freak out about their arm being hurt and not being able to swim... especially if they were a member of my expensive gym! I still have to pay the bill even if I don't go. And definitely most people would not be happy about their computer completely malfunctioning. But for some reason, these supposed negative events, have actually made me feel better! I think these events have actually simplified my life in a way.
We live in such a fast paced competitive society. It seems that there's always something that needs to get done. We tend to overburden ourselves with activities. But life is not a competition or a race to the finish. Sometimes it's nice to just slow things down a bit... and change up the routine... Take a vacation from life or at least the complicated schedule we may have inflicted upon ourselves. We are also constantly immersed in electronic energy, cell phones, wi-fi, television, etc. It's so easy to get stuck on the internet for hours when the internet is available to us 24 hours a day. It's highly addictive actually... however it's really not that healthy for us. Becoming saturated in all the information that's available to us on the web can be quite taxing to our system. It can even become information overload for us if we allow it to be. Yes, the internet is great in many ways. It has made obtaining information much easier for all of us. But at what cost?
Since my arm has been injured and my computer time has been drastically reduced, I have gained a new sense of freedom. I truly see now how simplicity can be one of the keys to a happy life... and perhaps even a successful one. I am planning to try to start swimming again within the next few days and it appears that I am going to have to buy a new computer within the next few days as well... But I'm definitely going to keep in mind what I've learned from this experience. I'm going to continue to make every effort to keep my life as simple as possible. And my new rule is to limit my time on the computer and internet as much as I can. I've already seen vast improvements in my life just by cutting down my time on social media. I only use it now to post articles and photos. No more scrolling and reading endless articles. I was wasting too much time and becoming irritable. Now it's time for me to take simplicity to the next level. Wishing you all the joy and beauty that a simple life can bring! Peace and Blessings!
Jennie H is a Reiki Master Energy Healer, Co-Founder of Self Saviorz Society California Non-Profit 501(c)(3), Poet, Author and Entertainer with goals to help raise the vibration and consciousness of humanity!
