Keeping it simple.

Because I'm in marketing/PR, I love to get into the psychology behind the reasons why people react the way they do to various campaigns.

If we change this color to a lighter shade of blue and throw a neutral in there, then it will create a sense of calmness. And if we put these words in this order instead of that one, then there will be a greater call to action. And if we include this link here, they are more likely to click on it than if it's placed there.

I do the same thing in life. I analyze things, often crossing the very thin line of over-analyzing them.

And in doing this, I've forgotten how to stop and look at the most simple things. I've broken everything down into a strategy to yield the results I'm looking for, and I've more than complicated everything.

I didn't think much of it until tonight, when a good friend of mine sent me this e-mail about how a bunch of four to eight-year-olds defined love. I'm not a fan of forwards like this, but it actually made me cry a bit to read how the simple things made such a large impact in their little hearts and minds.

This is what they had to say:

When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.
Rebecca- age 8

When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.
Billy - age 4

Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.
Karl - age 5

Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.
Chrissy - age 6

Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.
Terri - age 4

Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.
Danny - age 7

Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss.
Emily - age 8

Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.
Bobby - age 7

If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.
Nikka - age 6

Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.
Noelle - age 7

Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.
Tommy - age 6

During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.
Cindy - age 8

My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.
Clare - age 6

Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.
Elaine-age 5

Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Brad Pitt.
Chris - age 7

Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.
Mary Ann - age 4

I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.
Lauren - age 4

When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.
Karen - age 7

Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.
Mark - age 6 [I worry about this one...]

You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.
Jessica - age 8

This one was a four year old child whose neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

The little boy saw the man crying, went into his yard, climbed onto his lap and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."

So, my advice is when you get stressed and believe that there's not much time before you head actually explodes, remember the simplicity of life and love. It has a strange way of putting things in perspective.