Is life complex or complicated?

Though we may use the words “complicated” and “complex” as interchangeable, it is worth noting that there are some nuances.

We describe things as complicated when they have many different parts that are interconnected like machines.

When something performs as a whole and is much more than simply being a sum of all its parts, it’s termed complex. Thus all life forms in nature are complex as the sum total is much more than the parts.

But…enough of the English teacher and more of the philosopher!

We live in a complex and complicated world, and it can be hard to find the answers to the challenges we face in our lives. We are all challenged by, and afraid of, something. Striving to have control over our life is an attempt to bury our fears so we don’t have to face them.

Once we accept that life is all about our navigating our way through it rather than controlling it, we can find that our outlook on life can be more positive and not so complicated.

As activist Marty Rubin said…”If you accept life in all its fullness and ambiguity, it’s not complicated; it’s only complicated if you don’t accept it.”

We will always have challenging times in our lives, and the more complicated we make it, the more difficult our lives will be.

Because life is not what’s complicated, we are what’s complicated. Once we choose to leave behind feelings of past and future worries, our lives can become more balanced. Roadblocks will come and go, but the key to a simple life is to savor every moment by focusing on what is important now.

It works. It’s really this simple.