(Just for clarification; this is a hand painted poster (by me), not a print. It is made as a tribute to "movie poster art", a wonderfully creative and exciting genre of art in my view.)
"Elementary, my dear Watson" said Sherlock Holmes. Well, according to those in the know, Conan Doyle never put those words in Sherlock Holmes mouth. Clive Brook, in the 1929 film "The Return of Sherlock Holmes", acting as Sherlock, first spoke those words now commonly associated with Sherlock Holmes. Elementary can be defined as: "simple", "basic", and/or "easy".
However, as many of us have probably learnt; simple and easy are not the same thing.
Basket ball? Simple, you've just got to get the ball in the hoop. Easy? Well, unless you are seven foot tall, not so much. Playing the piano? Simple, you've just got to press the black and white keys. Easy? If you want to play something that can be called music, not so much. Simple; refers to the doing, the process, but "easy" refers to the level or degree of skill necessary to "doing it", which can be anything varying from easy to hard.
Got a habit you want to quit? Simple. Just quit. Easy? Not so much.
Need to tell someone you are sorry? Simple. Just say it. Easy? Not so much.
In a relationship you want to finish? Simple. Just break up. Easy? Not so much.
Want to change jobs? Simple. Just quit. Easy? Not so much.
Many of us probably have aspects in our lives that we would like to change, and although the process may be simple: eat less, drink less, smoke less, talk less, listen more, exercise more, read more, work harder, try harder, etc., none of these things are easy.
From the outside looking in, it can be tempting to make remarks such as: "Why doesn't he/she just leave him/her...it's that simple. Why doesn't he/she just loose some weight....it's that simple. Why doesn't he/she just quit drinking/doing drugs/gambling/etc.....it's that simple. Why doesn't he/she just pull his/her socks up and get on with it....it's that simple."
From the outside, without knowing the many intricacies of a situation, the solution may seem simple, a matter of "just doing it", but for the participants of that situation who knows all the intricacies, nothing about it may seem simple or easy.
(I knew for a long time that my marriage was defunct before I said anything to my partner. The solution was simple: get divorced, the doing of it however, not so easy.)
In theory, many things can seem easy, in practicality, not so much. Loosing weight? Simple, just eat less. Easy? Not so much for food lovers. Stop smoking? Simple, just stop. Easy? Not so much for a smoker. Be more sociable? Simple, just be outgoing and friendly. Easy? Not so much for someone with social anxiety. Depressed? Simple, just focus on the positive. Easy? Not so much for someone who suffers with depression.
However, what if the words were changed about: Stop smoking? A simple act, but not easy to do for a smoker. Loose weight? A simple act of eating less, but not easy to do for a food lover, and so on.
Is there something in your life that you would like to change?
You have concluded that the solution is simple: "I want to change....xxx...but the doing of it seems so complex, difficult, and so hard, that I don't know if I can do it."
How can one get started without feeling overwhelmed?
To transform something that seems complicated and hard into something more simple and easier to do, one way that can be helpful, is to make a list of steps to take. Breaking down what needs to be done into smaller, and "easier to do" steps. Example 1: Exercise more: Step 1: Park the car further away from where you are going Step 2: Take the stairs instead of the elevator when possible Step 3: Go for a 15 minute walk whenever the time allows and so on.
Example 2: Be more patient with others Step 1: Listen carefully Step 2: Don't jump to conclusions Step 3: Appreciate other's opinions and so on.
Every climb to the mountaintop begins with a single step,
every masterpiece painting begins with a single brush stroke,
every melody begins with a single note,
every book begins with a single word....
Go on, find your first step........
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