If you tend to overcomplicate your health, your business, your relationships and your healing… this is for you.

This is likely because you’re incredibly intelligent. Hell yea!

The bummer is that intelligence doesn’t always translate to ease.

Those of us who love learning, growing and enjoy living in the deep end of life often have two things in common: 1- a brilliant, curious mind and 2- a tendency to overcomplicate and overthink things, which leads to a flooded system and overwhelm.

Is this you?

Your brilliant mind craves knowledge
You perceive what is unsaid
You are comfortable with nuance and love complexity…
You’re often frustrated and unable to apply the knowledge you have because you struggle to see the forest through the trees.

Yep. Me too. For us complex souls, the hardest thing is letting it be simple and easy.

The truth is: It’s the simple shit that makes the biggest difference.

After years of swimming in the complexity of my own mind, I’ve finally learned that the wisest choice is to keep it simple. And ironically, the small shit is the hardest to practice.

The simple shit is what we make excuses for.

The simple shit is what we say is out of reach.

The simple shit is what we overlook.

The simple shit is what we judge as “not deep enough” or “too cheesy” or “too elementary.”

The most wise people I know don’t spend their days digging and overthinking, they live into the simple shit.

Here’s 10 ways keep it easy this year:

1 - Choose your word for the year.

Once you’ve chosen it, jot down what it would look like to live just into this 1% more. Say no to going balls to the wall. Simply ask: what will produce the highest reward with the lowest energy expenditure.

IE: My word for the year is STABILITY. Living into this 1% more right now looks like getting my new office set up, beautified and organized.

If you need support with this, I have a 60 minute workshop all about Visioning for your year.

2 - Track your time.

If you want to see where you’re really giving your attention, the best way is to look at the raw data. I added the Toggl extension to my desktop this year and am tracking every work task. At the end of the month I’ll review and see if where I’m spending my time actually matches my priorities and values and adjust!

3 - Slow down your social media habits.

I noticed after being off social media for a month that I do love these tools for connection, but since returning I’ve already noticed a negative impact on my nervous system.

I’ve started using OneSec– an app that allows me to pause and check in before opening social media apps. The OneSec app is allowing me to pause, ask why I’m using the app and see the raw data of how much time I’m saving and how often I open the apps out of habit.

4 - Prioritize your sleep.

It’s now well documented that quality of sleep has an “enormous positive impact on your overall health and daytime functioning, brain, hormones and immune system.” One of my most-used prayers is “let this healing happen as I sleep,” and it does.

Although you don’t need any added tools to prioritize your sleep, I am personally adding the help of the Oura Ring, herbal teas and the Mantis eye mask to boost my sleep hygiene. If you’re curious, the Oura Ring tracks and offers supportive data on heart rate, HRV, sleep cycles, menstrual cycles and more. I’ve noticed improvements in my sleep scores by applying simple changes and am aiming to get my sleep score in the 90s daily this year!

5 - Daily movement.

Whether it’s a short walk, lifting weights or a simple online yoga class, connecting with our bodies on a daily basis is the baseline. Don’t over-complicate it. Start with 5 minutes. Just start.

6 - A relationship with Spirit.

A one minute prayer upon waking will do. A moment of gratitude. Sitting at your altar. Remembering there is something Higher to surrender to and that can support you.

7 - Asking for support.

What kind of support do you need this year? Whether it’s bodywork, business support, a coach, a housecleaner, a trauma therapist or a babysitter– name it and claim it.

8 - Nourishment!! Fiber! More plants! Hydration!!!

Need I say more?

9 - Just STOP.

When you’re caught up in a pattern, stream of thought or something not bringing you peace… just stop. Don’t overcomplicate it. Just. Stop. End scene.

10 - Begin. Begin again.

Instead of trying to plan everything out so perfectly, what if you just connected to your body and asked “what is the right next action?” Then Begin.

Because being self-led isn’t only about big bold moves; it’s often in meeting our simplest needs.

It’s the devotion showing up for the simple shit.

Save energy by letting things be this easy,

xo, Madison