Who is the most interesting person you have met recently?
You meet all sorts of people in your daily life.
It’s a fact of life – we can’t do without people in our life, like them or not.
“Some people light up the room when they enter it, others light it up when they leave the room!”
I am not sure who I first heard that from – sounds a bit harsh to me, but we have all met people who do both.
Do people really make the world go around?
Some people really try and impress you, some are impressed by you. But the ones who I remember the most are the ones who are just themselves.
You take such people at face value and they take you at face value – no frills or thrills, no airs and graces.
This morning I had breakfast with such a person. A very simple guy.
An authentic guy. Indeed, an authentically simple guy.
Someone who is indeed very simple – and even writes about it. So simple, I sometimes even forget his name or what he looks like.
You have probably heard of simple Simon from your childhood days – now you are going to hear a lot more about simple John.
I first met John Sherry two years ago when he invited me to speak at his Inspiration Club in Coventry, which happens to me my home town as well as his.
Since then we have become friends and as John was visiting London today for a meeting, we met for breakfast early in the morning in my garden.
Of course it was a simple breakfast, followed with simple conversation about simple things.
Every thing about John and around John is really simple. So this blog post is also going to be simple.
I wonder how many times I have said simple so far – oops, there’s another one!
So what’s the main takeaway for you from this simple post? It’s simply this:-
We make life unnecessarily complicated.
As Johns says on his blog:-
“Life is really simple but we insist on making it complicated” – Confucius
Life really is simple – so why complicate it?
On that note, please add below, what one simple thing you will do today to make your life more simple?
And be sure to keep your comments simple – so simple, that even simple John would approve:-)
To make life simple today – I will let all my calls go to voicemail and return them all at the end of the day.
Welcome back to my blog, Courtney!
Great idea to let your calls gather till the end of the day – will definitely make your life simpler.
Funnily enough, my mobile phone packed up earlier on today – and I haven’t missed it one bit!
I will go home early.
Christopher, go home early – and make sure you don’t check any emails at home!
Arvind you are so very kind, I am touched by your warm, generous sentiments. In fact it was me who learnt from you with your hospitality of spirit and true welcoming of me into your home. I should do a post called, ‘The Day I Had Breakfast With A Man With The Biggest Heart In The World’. Wonder who that could be? You!
I would so very much like you to do an interview for me as a Real Simple Person. Would you make a simple man happy and say yes?
John, thanks for all your kind words – but the honour was all really mine!
I will also be honoured to be interviewed by you as a Real Simple Person. Lets make it happen!
Happy now?!
YOU are really so inspirational.
well done John good to see you doing well stay in touch
Welcome to my blog Jo.
We clearly share something in common – having John as a treasured friend:-)
I will simply say I love you both.
Thanks Jean – that must be one of the simplest and most heartfelt messages ever!
See – simplicity works:-)
Sorry to butt in Arvind, just want to send back my love to Jean. You’re one great human!
Simple John, you can butt in anytime to say such simple but profound words:-)
Arvind, A wonderful post (although I detect hints of complexity beneath John’s simple surface).
It’s evening now, but I did some simple things earlier today. One was taking a walk and encountering three black vultures by the side of the road. I love them because they are so ugly and so beautiful at the same time.
Madeleine, good to see you here again – John is a relatively simple guy compared to most humans – but I know what you say about some hints of complexity. What I really like about John is his childlike approach to life.
Keep doing the simple things – and I bet the vultures’s mother thinks they just beautiful all the time.
Funny how we humans classify other animals and birds as simply ugly!
I can sense a blog post coming up here:-)
Arvind, I’m going to do something about the gravator, but I need to get new photos to show off my gorgeous white hair.
Madeleine – I can’t wait to see your new image, but do keep it simple!
I will simply subscribe to John’s blog. Thanks!
Thanks Jan – that’s the possibly the simplest and best thing you will ever do:-)
I will skip with my kids for one whole block…that should be simple, right? =)
Welcome to my blog Andrea!
Skipping with your kids for one whole block would indeed be a simple way to spend time with your kids and also reconnect with your chidlike nature.
Now where’s my skipping rope? And whose kids can I borrow for skipping around the garden?
Confession time – I can just about skip – and yet to learn how to swim:-)
Well, I simplified my blog today to make it more accessible for my readers. That turned out to be not as simple an effort as I’d hoped, but it was entirely worth it. In future I vow to try and create sites that are simpler from the start.
Now I’m off to simply subscribe to John’s blog. Next time I’m in the UK I must try to meet you both, as long as I can make it simple. I don’t do well with complex. Complex is altogether too tiring!
Alison, welcome to the world of really simple people. And next time you are in the UK, we’ll have a reunion of simple people.
I just checked out your simplied blog – and it does look simpler and easier to access. Now what simple thing is next?
I simply said yes to Arvind’s request for chocolate and champagne. (True.)
True and simple true indeed! I might even write a post about it – the day I got drunk with a world class leadership guru!
True and simple description of Steve Sonsino – just check out his website at:-
https://stevensonsino.com/
Arvind and John – I have a gorgeous story that I could share with you about simplicity. Unfortunately It’s a post for my blog when I eventually get it set up!!! Sadly work keeps getting in the way! But you know, today was Grandparents’ Day at my school. Grandparents of all ages, shapes, and sizes arrived to share the day with the children. Their stories were all about the simplicity of their childhood and the rigour of their upbringing. What came across in all their stories however, were close family ties, trust, and safety, somethings they felt, that today’s children lacked. So, we went back to old school days and played some simple games. The we sang some rounds – been a while since I heard singing in schools!.
Maria, what a great story!
And I can’t wait to readit in full on your new blog soon – lets make it happen:-)
I will go home ON TIME
I will play with my 3 year old princess
I’ll laugh at all our silliness at home 🙂
Vidisha, lucky princess!
And welcome to my blog:-)
I am working at home today and was going to spoil my other half with a special dinner (which would have involved, a trip to the shops, lots of complicated ingredients and time). Although I love cooking I am going to keep it simple…..possibly some salad from my garden with a simple piece of fish. And then I can use the rest of the time to spend time with him appreciating the simple things in life:)
Many thanks,
Kate
Kate, what a great idea to cook a simple and healthy meal – and then to spend more quality time with your other half! Lucky man:-)
Arvind & John,
To make life simple – live your day as a 5 year old!
Bound out of bed & head for what gives you the most joy! Then holler & hoot with delight!
Angela, I shall certainly try that tomorrow morning – I will get out of bed and head straight for my garden and kick a football around.
Then I will hoot, make a lot of noise and wake up my neighbours!
Maybe they will join in too. Simple eh?!
Sounds simple enough to me…. and I love acting like I’m five. Try wearing simple Vibram running shoes and you’ll feel like you’re a kid again for sure.
Nicely done.
Scott
Scott, I can just imagine you as a five-year old – you would be exactly as you are now!
Time for me to get some simple Vibranm running shoes:-)
I agree with his simplistical approach to life.We all face difficulties but the world will never run short of solutions.i believe everything is not so complex after all its us humans who complicate everything.
Mathias, welcome to my blog.
As you say, us humans who complicate things – time for us all to simlpify!
There is a saying you must have heard of Arvind..IT IS SO SIMPLE TO BE HAPPY, BUT SO DIFFICULT TO BE SIMPLE. 🙂 I still try to be so and the simplest thing I can do and always promise to do is to SMILE always…..even in the face of adversity. Nice post and thanks for sharing.
Best wishes,
Thanks Nabanita for sharing that lovely quote – I am sure to remember it and quote it often.
And yes smiling always helps:-)