Wisdom and the Art of Letting Go
Some say that wisdom has little to do with age or intellect and everything to do with life experience, which is one of the many reasons that it's such an elusive quality. The problem is knowing how to really live a wise life; a life in which you're open enough and brave enough to let go of the things that no longer serve you.
Sometimes, just letting go can be beneficial in terms of self-growth; however, other times it might mean letting go of people or material possessions in order to free yourself up for what's most important — finding peace within yourself so you can truly live your best life.
In any case, we all have our own way of interpreting what wisdom means and how it applies. In our society, a lot of us equate it to long-term goals or the things we hope to achieve in the future. For instance, if you're a musician who's trying to make it big, wisdom is usually thought of as being talented enough and wise enough to manage your career far into the future.
Or maybe you're a business owner and you'd like to make enough money so that when you retire, life will be good for your family. Money is often thought of as wisdom in terms like these; however, we all know that monetary wealth isn't always healthy for some people. Some people become depressed and anxious after allocating so much of their energy to the pursuit of monetary wealth that they don't have anything left for themselves or their loved ones.
The truth is that "money can buy happiness" only when you've got the right attitude about it. In other words, financial security will only make us happy when we're willing to spend time with those who are most important to us; in cases like these, money is actually something we should let go of. It follows then that money itself may not be wisdom; rather, it's a symbol for how wisely we choose to use what little time and energy we have in this world.
Wisdom is also associated with doing good deeds and helping others. However, this doesn't mean that we should actively be looking for ways to make a living off of it; rather, "being wise" is simply about making choices that serve ourselves and others. For instance, you're probably wiser if you do a job that strengthens your body and mind regardless of whether or not it helps you get into a good college or makes you rich.
On the other hand, being a homeless person who wants money for drugs might not be the wisest thing in the world because it may eventually lead to problems like substance abuse and homelessness. In this case, it might be better to let go of the possessions you think you need in order to find peace; ultimately, this will lead you closer to the happiness that you're really seeking.
Wisdom is also known for helping us see things from a different perspective; one that doesn't simply involve our own personal needs and wants. It's about understanding how everything in this world is interconnected and how certain events are shaped by the choices we make or don't make. For instance, having wisdom is acknowledging that if we want to survive as a society, we have to work together as a community. This means letting go of selfishness, greed and greed. We can't survive as a society if we're too focused on our individual needs and wants.
Sometimes, wisdom also means learning to let go of the things that used to bring us happiness, like material possessions. In the case of our homeless musician example, our friend might feel resigned to his fate if he thinks his life will continue to be one long struggle for money unless he takes up alcohol or drugs; however, this is no way to live a happy life.
A wise person would look at his situation and realize that he doesn't need money or wealth in order to have a good life — all he needs is time with people who care about him and passion for music. He would also realize it's okay to be sad at times because sometimes we need to put some distance between us and material wealth in order to break free of our old patterns and find new meaning in life.
That's what wisdom is really all about — learning how to let go of things that hold you back, learn from your mistakes and embrace the very things that will make you happy. If this doesn't describe how you would define wisdom, then there's no point in worrying about what "being wise" means; focusing on your own priorities instead.
About The Author: David Rettew is a writer, designer, marketer and musician who lives and works from his home studio in Austin, Texas. He's currently studying holistic medicine and psychology, which has a huge focus on life paths and ways to improve the quality of one's life. He also loves law of attraction, music and reading.
You can read more from David Rettew at Zen Lifestyle Design and follow him on Twitter .
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Are You Wise?
A Summary Of What It Means To Be Wise, In Living Life As A Human Being In The Modern Era
By David Rettew, Ph.D.
People often think of wisdom being something good or beneficial that we should strive to obtain in our lives. Sometimes it's thought of as a set of knowledge or skills; sometimes it's just a general sense that we are progressing towards being wiser as time goes on. But in reality, wisdom is something much more profound than that.
According to Merriam-Webster, wisdom is "the quality of having experience, knowledge and good judgment"; it's the quality of being able to look at problems or issues with a sense of objectivity that enables you to understand when and why such issues came about. It's also the ability to look at your own life and see how your decisions have shaped who you are today. Therefore, if you don't think you're wise yet, here are some steps that will help you on the road to self-knowledge.
1.
Conclusion:
Conclusion is very important when trying to figure out if you're wise or not, because conclusions are often drawn based on what we want to happen.
For instance, if you're a musician and your goal in life is to write popular songs that have millions of views on YouTube, then you might arrive at the conclusion that you are somehow "wiser" than the average person because of the amount of views your videos get. You also might see yourself as wiser than other musicians who don't have as many views or fans.