Tiny Wisdom: Take a Deep Breath and Remember

“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge.” -Charles H. Spurgeon

Someone recently asked me in an interview why I choose to revisit ancient wisdom in my writing. I responded that there is very little new wisdom; there are just new ways of understanding and applying what we already know.

That’s not always so easy to do. We have an amazing ability to drown out our inner guidance with worries, stresses, fears, and judgments.

If you find yourself doing that today, take a deep breath and remember:

It’s okay to be down sometimes. Once we accept and understand how we feel, we can discover what we need to do to feel better.

It’s okay to feel lost and confused. Acknowledging this is the first step to finding direction and clarity.

It’s okay to make mistakes. So long as we learn and grow from them, it’s the same as making progress.

It’s okay to disagree. This is how we learn to honor our values and priorities without negating someone else’s.

It’s okay to feel terrified. Feeling scared and uncomfortable is often a sign we’re doing what we really want to do.

It’s okay to enjoy this moment, even if you have things to accomplish. There will always be more to do—this is much is guaranteed. Time beyond this moment is not.

It’s okay to take time for ourselves. We are the only ones who can recharge our minds, bodies, and spirits.

It’s okay to struggle with all of these things. Peace is accepting that we are imperfect, and doing the best we can with what we know right now.

Photo by erix