Creating a wisdom journal for yourself is a simple task to accomplish. Doing so will acquaint you with much wisdom from many sources, add value to your life, and perhaps, even change your perspective on many things.
A Personal Perspective
We read many books and writings that are wise, enlightening, and quite compelling. If we have a great memory, we can retain ideas or quotes from those writings in our minds. We can then use them to guide our lives or to share them with family, friends, and business associates. However, most of us do not have a great memory. Therefore, we must write most things down or we will forget them.
I suggest you place these ideas and quotes in what I call a Wisdom Journal. They can then be read on a periodic basis you establish.
Creating A Wisdom Journal
Buy a three-ring binder and a set of dividers. Label the dividers as follows: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, and Yearly Readings.
As you come upon sayings, quotes, or longer writings that you find of value or something you want to remember, add it to your Wisdom Journal. Then, decide if you want to classify it as something to be read daily, weekly, monthly, or annually.
Daily and weekly readings will tend to be shorter and directive in nature. Monthly and yearly readings can be longer and more thought-provoking and philosophical. I have provided four examples below, one for each type of reading.
The Readings
Daily Reading: “When something happens, the only thing in your power is your attitude toward it. It is not the things that disturb us, but our interpretation of their significance. Things and people are not what we wish them to be nor are they what they seem to be. They are what they are.”—Epictetus
Weekly Reading: “Be careful whom you associate with. It is human to imitate the habits of those with whom we interact. We inadvertently adopt their interests, their opinions, their values, and their habit of interpreting events.”—Epictetus
Monthly Reading: Max Ehrmann’s Desiderata (Written in 1948). Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
Yearly Reading: As I wrote previously, these can be much longer readings. The example I would like to use here is a book. The book is “Meditations,” by Marcus Aurelius. In my opinion, one of the greatest books ever written. It will add great value to your life, whatever your understanding of the ideas contained in the book, and short enough to be read every year.
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Cordially,
Andrew J Guinosso
