Inspite of all efforts to keep life as simple as possible, one does not really succeed. Reading a lot of self help books does nothing. I am inclined to believe that the experiences one faces during one's journey is what shapes the thinking. So, trying too hard to change the way one looks at life is, in my opinion, a futile exercise. A lot of factors around a person are way out of his/her control and those are the factors that really shape a person.
The first step in trying to keep life simple is not to try too hard.