'Tis the season for decorating Christmas trees.
I’m not sure what it’s like in your house, but it’s serious business in mine. There’s a right way and more than a few wrong ways.
Like a lot of things in life, Christmas trees are imperfect. There’s the good side you face outward and the side you intentionally face against the wall. Like a lot of things in life, trees are imperfect.
Anyone who has ever decorated a Christmas tree has felt the impulse to fill every possible spot on the tree with lights, ornaments, garland, kid’s crafts, or 10 pounds of tinsel. The result is a cluttered, inundated mess. (It’s the same when decorating outside; you really can have too many plastic figurines on your lawn.)
More isn’t always better. Instead, you can remove what’s holding you back and simplify. It’s a concept that David Epstein labeled “The Christmas Tree Effect.”
True for trees and true for relationships.
When we identify a problem, the natural inclination is to step in, say something, and make things happen with extra effort or a bit of hustle. That sounds right because it’s intuitive to be proactive.
Yet, in relationships, there’s often a better way.
The “Christmas Tree Effect” in relationships is about doing less, minimizing friction, and removing deadweight. This is the “less is more” epiphany that makes navigating dating and relationships easier.
Applying the Christmas Tree Effect to relationships shows how helping your relationship doesn’t have to be hard work. You can avoid the impulse to add more and instead find ways to lean back and do less. You get to drop restrictive rules, unhelpful habits, and the mentality that more is always better. Instead, it’s the realization that a “less is more” approach can help you optimize your love life.
References
David Epstein. The Christmas Tree Effect. Range Widely. October 3, 2023.
The Christmas Tree Effect in Dating and Relationships
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11.12.2023
'Tis the season for decorating Christmas trees.
I’m not sure what it’s like in your house, but it’s serious business in mine. There’s a right way and more than a few wrong ways.
Like a lot of things in life, Christmas trees are imperfect. There’s the good side you face outward and the side you intentionally face against the wall. Like a lot of things in life, trees are imperfect.
Anyone who has ever decorated a Christmas tree has felt the impulse to fill every........
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