KISS more, fret less

I’m a big fan of the KISS (keep it simple, um, sweetie) method of solving problems, and I recently got yet another chance to flex my problem solving muscles in the spirit of KISS. The charm in the concept is that it forces us to look at things in a bare-bones way, eliminating the drama and any proverbial middlemen we may encounter.

This week I had to deal with a situation which was just as funny in hindsight as it was at the time. On Saturday I sought to continue my ongoing efforts to reorganize the house, and being the frenetic person that I am, I spent part of my day off tidying up and purging items we had no use for, this time in the bathroom–a daunting project to say the least, with toiletries and cleaning supplies that had lived in our house longer than I had.

I came to realize as I moved forward that many of the items were of the “not quite sure where to put this” ilk, and had ended up in the w.c. due to the fact that it simply contained more storage space than other areas of the house. During my adventures I ran across several packets of catnip with varying levels remaining, which gave me a chuckle because we have purchased (and not emptied) several packets of catnip in recent years, apparently oblivious to the wealth of nip that we had on hand.

The catnip didn’t fit into my scheme for the shelf, so I moved it down one shelf, proceeding to put some of our excess supplies, including toilet and facial tissue, on the shelf formerly occupied by the catnip. Naive person that I am, I thought nothing of it.

Fast forward to a few days later, and Art and I returned home to find a pile of white fluff and a cardboard tube just below where the spare roll of toilet tissue had been, the middle of which was occupied by a rather happy feline (not the original culprit, mind you, but a very willing accomplice). The roll on the dispenser remained untouched. At first glance, we couldn’t figure out what the problem might be, as our cats had never shredded toilet tissue before, not even as kittens.

While watching TV it suddenly dawned on me that the residual “essence of catnip” was to blame. The spare roll was the first one to be exposed to the former catnip shelf. Laughing to myself, I set out to find a solution that we all could live with.

Solution 1: Put the spare role of toilet tissue in a different location away from prying paws (no dice; it was soon located in its new home and subsequently dispatched with equal zeal. And before long, the current roll would also come under fire). Solution 2: Leave the spare roll in the cabinet until it was time to use it (not feasible; we don’t use it quickly enough to stop the siege from happening when we’re away at work). Solution 3: Close the bathroom door during the day (not really a good idea; the cat box is in the bathroom and our cats become unruly when their routines are disrupted). Solution 4: Get rid of the cats (just kidding). And so it went.

As I thought through and tried various solutions (including eventually solving the problem by–Eureka!–moving the toilet tissue to a different storage shelf), it struck me that the catnip/toilet tissue problem was much like any problem in life. It involved individuals (Myself, Art, Gov, Sam, Wesley and Brownie…well, mainly Me, Wesley and Brownie); it needed an expeditious solution that is convenient for all parties; and was best resolved by considering the options, perhaps trying them out, and picking the one that seemed to work the best.

Granted, most problems in life don’t deal with catnip, but if I can tackle this one, I felt I could tackle any problem if I viewed it through my KISS lens. And you can bet I’m more than prepared for the repercussions when the facial tissues need restocking.

The power of positive people

For those of you who know me very well, you probably realize that I am empathetic to a fault, and tend to pick up the energies of those who are around me at any given time. While this is most beneficial when someone tries to cheer me up, as I am quick to pick up on the timbre of their efforts, it can prove disastrous when I am around those who are sour and pessimistic.

I have accepted that this is simply a part of who I am, and decided recently that changing my nature is not as easy as changing my perception. When things are going well and people are positive, it is easy to focus on this perception change; on the other hand, it is certainly a struggle to expend the energy necessary to make myself pessimism-proof, especially when surrounded by those that I affectionately refer to as “energy vampires.” My kudos to the person who coined this imminently adoptable term; I certainly didn’t, but it definitely applies!

If you’re like me (and even if you aren’t), I’m sure that you have known people who seem to suck all the life out of a situation, whether it be at work, in your circle of “friends,” or in a situation that should be an upbeat one. I was starkly aware of the discrepancy this weekend, when I was fortunate enough to be practically surrounded by energetic and happy people whose enthusiasm was contagious.

Capitolfest, our annual silent and early talkie film festival at the Capitol, is not just one of my favorite events because I like movies. The opportunity exists for me to enjoy all of our programming, because I like to think (and perhaps I am biased) that events at the Capitol are something special. The difference with Capitolfest, I realized, is that everyone there is positively excited to be there, and it shows.

In a business whose most prominent public face is providing entertaining and enriching events, one would think that happiness is the order of the day. After all, going to a show is a luxury, and one that many people around the world don’t get the benefit of. Most often, people attend the events of their choice. They get the opportunity to get out of the house, the opportunity to look forward to something for which they needn’t expend very much personal effort to enjoy. These are all good things, right?

You would be surprised at the number of energy vampires that I run into from day to day in working at a theater. My own naivete dictates that I never quite understand the motivation of grouchy people, but I certainly internalize their grouchiness because of my nature. So, for me anyway, grouchy people =  grouchy Kylie.

I reckon that we are all like that to a certain extent, even if others don’t let it get to them to the degree that I do. Much of our feelings about energy vampires are tied up with guilt and obligation. So, what to do about it? I have a revolutionary idea: whenever possible, limit your interaction with negative people.

When I put it that way, it sounds rather simple, doesn’t it? And I know that part of you is saying “I can’t just do that, Kylie. You’re insane.” Well, I probably am, but hear me out. Life is too short. Don’t put yourself in negative situations if you have any control at all. Have a “friend” that is such a downer that you dread hanging out with him or her? Have a frank talk with them about how they make you feel, and if they don’t value your friendship enough to meet you halfway, acknowledge that you may have outgrown that particular friendship.

Having trouble with negativity at work? Talk to your boss about strategies for increasing workplace morale and teamwork. Most companies should be open to the idea of making their workplace more conducive to happiness; happy workers are often productive workers, and job retention rates can definitely increase if employees look forward to coming to work everyday. Often one of the top reasons that people leave a particular job is because they are unhappy there, not because they dislike the work that they do. If you are a valuable worker, I doubt that your employer would want to give you up to a competitor simply because morale is better there.

These are some suggestions that I have found helpful, but there are lots of ways to surround yourself with positive energy. Positive energy is self-perpetuating, and the rewards of an upbeat environment can’t be overstated. And who knows? Maybe your efforts to make things more positive will be contagious, and benefit others in the process.

No time like the present

Just before I wrote this column, I was patting myself on the back. It’s not something I do very often, but I feel like I’ve earned it tonight. And, as much effort as the task took me, it set the stage for good habits and good results.

I’m sure you’ve done something that, after it was completed, made you feel like you’d made a positive change. I’ve long thought that life is divided into sections like a pie, and that there are some events that make the slices seem to fall into place. For me, getting married had that effect. Though it was a big life change, for me it was much better to know that I didn’t have to worry about the “dating” slice of my life as much anymore. Though it would still require some work over time, I felt like I could stop holding my breath and really start living.

Though tonight’s task wasn’t quite as drastic as marriage, it gave me a similar feeling when I set it up. Tonight, I officially started being diligent about my finances.

Before you judge me too harshly, it’s not like my money situation was completely out of control. But, as many of you may have experienced in the past, there are adjustments to be made when you are living on a small income. I don’t mind that we are not rolling in the dough, because I love what I do, but it does necessitate watching the pennies a little more carefully.

I’d been putting it off because, as you may remember from earlier columns, I am a perfectionist procrastinator. I didn’t feel like I had access to the right tools, and I didn’t think my knowledge about such things was where it ought to be, so I kept reading and making half-hearted efforts to get things organized.

There wasn’t an official turning point for me, really. It’s not like I made a major mistake that warranted me asking for money from everyone I knew. I just reached the point where I realized that, if I kept better track of our money, we would have more cash flow for things that we really cared about. And those things weren’t uninspired fast food and $25 bank fees.

So I just sat myself down, and I did it, with the help of Mint.com (a service that I highly recommend, and with whom I have no affiliation with whatsoever). I liked the service because it was free, and it helped me put all of my accounts in the same place. It happened to be the right tool for me at the right time. And because I am a highly visual person, the graphs were just the ticket.

The moral of this story isn’t to jump on the computer and enter all of your expenditures (though I can vouch for how much relief can be gained from knowing what’s going on with your money); it’s really about jumping in and sorting something out that has been hanging over your head. Wouldn’t it feel good to put together a household first-aid kit for emergencies, or write a letter to your aunt in Toledo, or dig out your birth certificate, car title, passport, or what have you and put them someplace where they can be easily found when you need them? Some of you more diligent than I have probably already done these things, but I’m sure there are other things that would fit the bill for you personally.

And when you’ve finished, be sure to reward yourself. Though, if the way I feel tonight is any indication, getting it done may be reward enough.