Why less is always more

A fortnightly column about emotional well-being

- Sonali Gupta

Zeroing in on what we want demands cognitive resources.

Last month, when I visited Kasauli for a literature festival, it brought back memories of childhood trips—annual visits to my maternal grandparents in Punjab and Chandigarh, when we would take a day’s picnic to Kasauli, What has stayed with me is the joy in the simplicity, of going back to the same places, of eating the same food, and of having limited choices.

Visiting my grandmother's house meant eating bun tikki, samosa and imarti and then running to the next-door store for Banta soda.

There was an ease to having fewer options, and it makes me think about whether an abundance of choices has come in the way of the lightness we experienced earlier. Now, a simple coffee outing with a friend feels unexpectedly complex—from choosing the milk to specifying how I like my brew. Clients and friends tell me how this has permeated every aspect of their life, whether it’s dating, ordering food or deciding what to watch.