Where to Find Wisdom

 Wisdom is not only knowledge that is born out of experience—wisdom is also knowing when to apply what you know in sensible ways. Whenever you’re struggling with a life situation or phase, having the wisdom to navigate the rough waters can be emotionally life-saving. But where and how do you find wisdom when you need it?

Try these “places” to find knowledge that will enrich your life:

1. Call a parent. Although you might not currently have the type of relationship where you willingly seek guidance from Mom and Pop, it’s never too late to start.

• Your relationship with your parent will be enhanced and you’ll experience one of the most rewarding emotional connections possible in life. Seek out your parent for some much-needed information.

2. Consider relevant past experiences. Because wisdom is intricately connected with experiences, think about how you’ve dealt with a similar situation. Maybe your girlfriend just broke off your engagement. Think about anything related to that type of situation that you’ve been through in the past.

• What did you do then? How would that action work now? How could you tweak the action to work in your current situation? Strive to learn from and even use something from your prior experience to get through the current crisis.

3. Read a self-help book. Reflect on what you read. Which parts will work for you now? What did the author say that you really appreciated or found enlightening?

3. Talk with friends you respect. They may offer some insight from their own experience that could be of great help to you now. Embrace their stories and experiences.

• Others will often share stories and follow them with comments such as, “This is what I did and it did not work for me,” which can also shed some effective insight on your current struggle.

5. Observe and listen. Believe it or not, wisdom might be “happening” right in front of you. Watch others. What do they say? What do they do? Open your eyes and learn from the experiences of others. The fact is that others are often offering their wisdom to us. We just don’t notice it. Re-discovering what is all around you is an effective channel to wisdom.

5. Use technology. Although this might sound a bit strange, advances in technology have enabled us to seek and find all kinds of knowledge and information. iTunes University offers hundreds of courses that provide expertise, knowledge, and wisdom.

7. Do some soul-searching. Allow yourself time to focus on what’s going on inside you. Do you have any strong gut feelings about how to handle a challenging situation? Sometimes, you can draw on your own wisdom to get you through an emotional storm.
8. Let yourself become inspired. Whenever you take in new, fascinating information, you never know what can happen. If you’re looking for inspiration, check out the TED website or app for your electronic tablet or smartphone.

• Listening to stories and speakers who’ve been through crises or possess great intellect will inspire you to think differently and perhaps enable you to develop your own useful wisdom.

Finding wisdom is not as difficult as you might think. Contact a parent, reflect on prior experiences, read, or talk with cherished friends. Take note of what is happening around you. Use technology and allow yourself to become inspired through exposure to great intellect.

You’ll enrich your life in ways you haven’t even considered when you find wisdom using these strategies.