Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated

Isn’t it a little bit stupid? It seems that we have become doubtful about anything that isn’t difficult in life.

Confucius once said: “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”

The world grows only more complex. Complexity has taken over how we attempt to get things done. It looks like we can’t seem to do anything simply anymore. Making a decision, creating a plan, holding a meeting—all of these now involve complex and time-consuming processes. 

A once-simple process, in the present time, has become a “technique” and when possible must be done ‘SMART’. We debate instead of using dialogue.We become exhausted by the difficulty of these practices and frustrated by the lack of productive outcomes and quality. 

As soon as a simple process becomes a technique, it grows only more complex and difficult. Most of the time weakening creativity and inspiration. It never becomes simpler. 

We forget that we already know how to do simple things like thinking, planning and holding a conversation. Instead, we become meek students of difficult methods.

In the presence of so many specialized techniques for doing simple things, we’ve become suspicious of anything that looks easy. Often it’s wasting our time. If something’s so simple, why have we invested so much time and money in learning a complicated method? 
Simplicity has powerful partners: ‘common sense’, ‘creativity’ and engagement between people. 

People often laugh when they finally realize there’s a simple, common sense solution to a so called problem. It’s a laugh of relief—and of recognition. 

Real change begins with the simple act of people connecting. Talking to one another about what they care about. Conversations in which we express our fears and dreams can give birth to powerful actions that change lives and restore hope for the future.

It’s all very simple.

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com

Is your world reality...?

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to do a program with two people from Dubai, who were, both private and in business a couple. People who know the life which we call Rat Race as their back-pocket.

After a fantastic nice and inspiring short time together they thanked me warmly for the insights they had gained by peace, relaxation and mirrors which I was allowed to keep before them. Not only gained they in business, but also in their family and as a couple. Both they and I have not only a nice feeling about it but it kept on growing by sharing. And ... they totally discovered it themselves.

Saying goodbye and thanking me afterwards gave perhaps the most beautiful insight. When they said goodbye to me they said they are going back (after these intense days) now  into 'the real world' and 'reality'. That comment made me silent for a moment and I looked at them questioningly. That moment of silence also brought them to rethink. I thanked by saying that I then obviously was not living in a real world and reality in their eyes ... They started a bit of a vague smile. One that I knew from my training that I followed as an actor and behind which a whole world of experience of their own choices was hiding.

The greatest discovery of their program was actually that you are responsible for your own choices and thus create your own reality in the world around you. And that is nearly always for once not easier said than done. If you truly look at  your general excuse . Your perception is your reality.

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com

Christmas... Time to come home twice

In a retreat program a short while ago I showed a film clip of a presentation by the Vietnamese monk Thich Naht Hanh. With the Christmas season at the door, this morning, it popped into my head again.

Here in the area of Chiang Mai, we see big differences to the same period last year. Here too Christmas is, of which absolutely the majority of people doesn’t even know what the actual meaning is, almost exclusively about commerce. Even here, at temperatures of about 25 ° C during the day, the plastic Christmas trees rise like mushrooms from the ground. They are tempting you buy more, it brings extra stress because of your desire to make everything nice and comfy (the word I use in Dutch is 'gezellig' which is a typical Dutch word and not really good to translate). However, the Thai kids go to school that day and also companies and government are having a normal working day. So although they attempt to get that never unmatchable ambiance here too it doesn’t feel like Christmas at all.

And when I talk about an unequaled ambience, I think back to the times with my parents. The preparations that took place in our family in the weeks and days before Christmas. We were living literally up to it. Even our cat looked forward to it. Every year when my mother was building a great Christmas stable with manger, his nose was in the air with the first smell of the Christmas branches that would make the 'barn' in which the holy family would stay. Now for him began the count down to the moment when we would go to the midnight mass on December 24 and he would peacefully himself sprawled himself all down in the middle of the barn between Joseph, Mary, the ox and the donkey and take place of the baby Jesus.

It was not only ambiance but it was also desire peace and sincerity coming home twice.

The presentation of Thich Naht Hanh raises the question in me if we ever dare to come home at all. If I deliberately say 'coming home twice' I mean not only coming home and connect as a family but certainly also coming home to yourself.

Thich Nhat Hanh indicates that if we have "free" time, and many do have with Christmas, we do not know what to do with it. We take a book, our i-phone or go 'do' something else. There are many ways, without actually even noticing escape from ourselves. To come home to ourselves. He says that in many cases, a battle is fought within ourselves. Having a conflict of unhappiness, dissatisfaction with situations, don’t dare to confront ourselves. Not daring to come home to ourselves. And if you are fighting within yourself then it's super easy to go into a battle with the world around you. That is precisely what came into my mind.

Christmas, even though you may not know the original meaning (unfortunately I think) no longer, is a time of even dare to pause. Willing and able to be silent. Just as the encounter with yourself. And if that feels uncomfortable or uneasy, then try and look into a burning candle for a while and ask yourself what the candle means to you. Bring peace, warmth, affection, visibility of colour, energy? Maybe we can all be a little more of a light, not only for ourselves but also a light for others.

Enjoy a nice and cozy Christmas in which it is good to come home to.

Frans Captijn

Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com

Leadership is still falling short in inspiration and soul engagement of employees.

A short while ago one of my friends wrote me an email. Part of her message was about the organization she is working in. Her story made me a little bit sad because I recognized it so much. With our programs we try to close the gap, that seems to be still there, in an easy way.Most companies or organizations still do not take any (or adequate) action to do something about and with it. Missed opportunity and chance!

To share a part of her mail:

 

"What I regret to the branch in which I work is that there is so little attention to balance and development for the individual. And then to consider that we have to work much longer and just about everyone goes through certain stages in their lives. That is where   leadership still rather falls short, because I see in my area that more and more people are looking for meaning and making sense and that's not really a topic for reflection and talking about ! Inspiration is often far away ... and that's just my (only) motivation, I see this more and more. "

I don’t understand, just in times of crisis, management does not show more commitment on the relatively simple phenomenon ‘business with soul engagement’. To give attention to and invest (more) in underlying inspirational energy of their employees. Fortunately people are talking more and more about it and understanding the issue.But the ‘SMART systems’ which are used for measuring, are not  very helpful because soul engagement is not 'measurable '. It is hard to give 'feeling’, which is part of soul engagement, a mark or a grade.

So better to not begin with it at all, smirk it of with 'woolly' or 'spacey' and with a kind of general excuse; ‘Can’t we go on with the things that really matter in our business…’

Modern work has changed dramatically. More than half of the organizations is working with teams. Network organizations create other desired leadership and contribute to an explosive growth of connected 'colleagues'. Gigantic rapid technological developments and communication networks connect people who do not really know each other. Wherever people literally work together in teams on the work floor it is becoming more natural to put knowledge, experience and specific talents of the individual to serve the common interest.

Binding and servant leadership contribute to the ability of individual managers to know their  employees and are aware of their specific talents, positioning them in the best way in a team for a better result. Often just only this already contributes to a better engagement, more inspiration and performance of both the individual as well as the team.

If you know how to inspire employees to contribute to a job where they just have the unique qualities for. That you make them aware of their valuable contribution to the whole. In this way, work that comes faster and faster upon us will be of higher quality, with fewer errors (mistakes) and therefore is done faster. That is pure profit for both the organization and for the motivation and connecting with employees. Which was just the basis of business? Right...making profits!?

With the addition of inspiration and soul engagement ... far more than simply to be expressed in money...priceless.

Do you have the guts and the courage to search for inspiration and soul engagement in yourself or your organization ? Inspired, passionate and unique hands are doing faster and better jobs!  

Need or want some help? You know where to find us.

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com

Being nothing... makes you everything

In our world today it looks like it's all about 'being something'. A kind of 'ranking' within our system. Protruding with our head, just a bit above ground level. Although that may be dangerous as I know by experience.

Previously I have written that I am very grateful for the encouragement that I  always have had from my parents and my education. They thought and saw that there was 'more'. Which ever intermediate 'exits or junctions' I accessed on my path, they frequently brought me on another track. It was a trail of one step at a time, both within my education as well as in my jobs and positions, higher and more.

Through this step by step way, which I now often call Kaizen, I've been 'granted access' in various 'circles' or groups. I felt at home everywhere and was, as I hear now more often from people around me, always who I still am, "Changed in no way." However the 'circles' on the other hand, labeled me frequently as 'odd man out'. Someone who speaks his mind, a jester, who often said what others only dare to think. Inherited from my mother who was an actress, in whatever costume or layers of makeup she was covered, her real 'self' never hiding.

The story I heard, combined with my experience with Khun Wang, raised the question to me why we always need to be someone or something?

For years I was pretty proud of my uniform or civil suits in which I walked. "Feathers make fine birds," a known saying of my mother. And yes, I still think that's true. And yet there is something extraordinary behindit so I learned in the story and from Khun Wang.

A lot of people I know wear, to support their role or position, a kind of uniform. Whether it's a suit, a nice dress or real uniform. They are 'something' and they show it for that reason even more.

However, in most cases they shine only on the outside. They are busy throughout the day, from their own desire or the expectations they think the outside world has of them. To keep that beautiful plumage in position That takes a lot of energy. Which is absolutely not good for your health. And, another saying from my childhood; If you are on a high step on the ladder, you can also fall very deep

Here in Thailand, I get more and more great contacts with people who do not have the least of positions in the (international) business and governmental world. Awesome, nice profiles, studied a lot, amazing stories, enormous networks. And yes, it's true. I can also speak for myself.

And I now shaken awake, by their stories, is that outward displays make them absolutely not happy. Rather just vulnerable, sad and exhausted. Private stories that I will save you from. But I can tell you that they are often deeply sad. And on the outside ... they exude unbridled happines.

They work harder (they ‘must do’ by their own will) and present themselves to the outside world with ever more ostentation. And while they are often actually live on the inside a "broken home" life. Covered up good, though. A gigantic heavy burden they carry along on their shoulders. But ‘The show must go on’ ...

Khun Wang has nothing of all that. He is ‘nothing’ and he owns actually nothing. A state of 'nothingness'. But nothing makes him everything!

He is and remains human. He can, just like everyone else eventually take nothing with him. No one is hitting on him. Why would you envy him. He even shares what he doesn’t have, cold tea and some tropical fruit 'Dragon Eyes' from his garden.

He owns nothing and has nothing to hide. He does not participate in the 'game', has no antennae around him in order to keep an eye on who could cause him harm. He is open and therefor he enjoys everything around him. The other, in my experience real form of attention. And the best part is, you can always visit him and walk right into his ‘livingroom’. He always has time for you and is genuinely interested. He doesn’t, no he even need to get anything out of it.  He  just 'is'.

I remember them from the past as a child, people in the neighborhood who were 'nothing' and were always there. I remember them from everywhere I moved later on. Those people who, without ever asking, always were there gave what they had and have. ‘Voluntary work' they call it . Those people, who are supposedly ‘nothing’ to the (un) real world are the ones who are doing it perfectly right in my eyes.

Thankfully they’re still there. Those real warm open and sincere people who just always and only are there. Yes, they just are ...

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com