Post by Shirley Benkmann

A couple of weeks ago I shared here about decluttering my calendar during a personal transition. Then life happened - as it does. The calendar filled up again with what was needed. Which, I’ll admit with some internal grumbling, only made me realize that simplifying isn't always about having fewer appointments. Sometimes it's about carrying less mental clutter while doing what needs to be done. This week, while looking through an old journal, I came across three words that had stayed with me from a yoga class inspired by pianist Lang Lang: VEREINFACHUNG. VERLANGSAMUNG. VERTIEFUNG. Simplify. Slow down. Go deeper. They beautifully describe what’s required to learn, practice and eventually embody a new piece on the piano. But they also describe how we navigate change—in life and, perhaps, in organizations. We simplify to focus on what truly matters. We discover what matters when we slow down just enough to notice. And we create more sustainable change when we're willing to go deeper in how we think, communicate and lead. In a world that often rewards speed, these three words feel almost counterintuitive. Yet the more complex the challenge, the more valuable they seem to become. How do these principles resonate with your own experience of personal change, leadership or transformation?