Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Practical Wisdom: The Lighter Side of a Terrible War
    Practical Wisdom: The Lighter Side of a Terrible War
    Practical Wisdom: The Lighter Side of a Terrible War
    Ebook204 pages1 hour

    Practical Wisdom: The Lighter Side of a Terrible War

    By Tamera Siminow

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    “Know thyself.” What does it mean to know thyself? Gaining insight into who you really are and what you stand for has become simpler with the introduction of this first-of-its-kind guide to absorbing the everyday wisdom that surrounds us all. By reading and engaging with Practical Wisdom, you can move from feeling inspired by the words of wise thinkers throughout history to learning more about and understanding your true self.

    The book breaks important ideas into bite-sized content that covers six needs we all have: vision, action, courage, perspective, healing, and identity. Each section includes quotes about those needs, reflections on the quote, and questions for consideration. The guide is interactive and calls on you not just to read and forget, but to respond in whatever way feels comfortable, whether that’s journaling, creating art, sharing with a friend or group, or simply thinking quietly, alone. Through reading and responding, the quotes become transformative, going beyond the world of mere inspiration and self-help books. The customizable lessons contained within Practical Wisdom can help you transform your life.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherGatekeeper Press
    Release dateNov 25, 2017
    ISBN9781619848580
    Practical Wisdom: The Lighter Side of a Terrible War

    Related to Practical Wisdom

    Related ebooks

    Historical Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Alone Time

      Jul 15, 2021

      Alone Time
      5 min read

    • Article

      Listen To Your Gut

      Jan 10, 2021

      Listen To Your Gut
      2 min read

    • Article

      The Mind’s Eye

      Jan 7, 2021

      The Mind’s Eye
      2 min read

    • Article

      Invest Your Energy In The ‘Now’

      Dec 9, 2018

      Imagine your whole life as a timeline from the day you were born right through to the day you are going to pass. Now, if I gave you 100 tokens that represented your emotional energy, and I asked you to place them along the timeline wherever your atte

      2 min read

    • Article

      10 Ways To Wellness

      Sep 8, 2019

      10 Ways To Wellness
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Power Of THANK YOU

      Jun 6, 2019

      The Power Of THANK YOU
      3 min read

    • Article

      Binge Eating And Diabetes

      Oct 22, 2020

      Binge Eating And Diabetes
      3 min read

    • Article

      Letter Of Gratitude

      Jul 6, 2021

      We’ve been friends for years and you’ve always been there for me. Now I want to be there for you – to thank you, support you and tell you how great you are. I appreciate our friendship and I want you to know that we will see each other soon and enjoy

      2 min read

    • Article

      First Put Yourself

      Jun 18, 2020

      First Put Yourself
      5 min read

    • Article

      LONGEVITY BOOK club

      Feb 20, 2018

      Are we really responsible for our own thoughts? In his debut book, neuroscientist Mariano Sigman attempts to answer this question as he explores the human brain. He delves into the basics of neuroscience, psychology and other fields of study, in the

      3 min read

    • Article

      Silence Your Inner Critic

      Feb 28, 2021

      Silence Your Inner Critic
      1 min read

    • Article

      The Common Genius of Lincoln and Einstein: The president and the physicist teach us a lesson about moral genius.

      Oct 30, 2014

      Abraham Lincoln would still be remembered today as a self-taught prairie prodigy and an astute political operator who crushed the Confederate uprising, even without the Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the end of slavery. Albert

      6 min read

    • Article

      A Hunter’s ESP

      May 20, 2019

      EXTRASENSORY PERCEPTION. A sixth sense. Jim Corbett called it ‘Jungle sensitivity.’ I call it ‘My little voice.’ A controversial subject, but too well documented to be purely a myth. Many people, mainly hunters, have recorded its appearance in times

      3 min read

    • Article

      How To Defuse Panic

      Aug 6, 2020

      Look up! When you feel frightened or overwhelmed, look up quickly, as it shifts your focus of attention from your feelings to your visual thinking. Looking up works like swiping the screen, so that your brain refocuses on what it sees instead of phys

      1 min read

    • Article

      Heal One Another

      Nov 16, 2020

      He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in

      1 min read

    • Article

      The Divine Spark

      May 23, 2019

      The Divine Spark
      4 min read

    • Article

      Releasing The Mind: A Journey From Overthinking and Projection…to Peace

      Dec 10, 2021

      Estimated reading time: 9 minutes — I’ve always been someone who feels very deeply. A few years ago, I would have rephrased that statement with, “I’m someone who feels too deeply.” Most of my life I’ve tried to feel less in order to fit in with othe

      6 min read

    • Article

      Bookmark This

      Apr 19, 2022

      Cultivating Mindfulness to Lead Self and Others in a Changing World Latha Poonamallee, PhD • Routledge We live in a world that’s diverse, complex, and constantly changing, and with all those changes comes a call to shift our leadership styles. Expans

      9 min read

    • Article

      Publishing Your First Book

      Feb 7, 2018

      SHELLY ORIA is the author of New York 1, Tel Aviv 0 (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2014), which earned nominations for a Lambda Literary Award and the Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction, among other honors. Recently she coauthored a digital novella, C

      9 min read

    • Article

      Publishing Your First Book

      Feb 14, 2018

      SHELLY ORIA is the author of New York 1, Tel Aviv 0 (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2014), which earned nominations for a Lambda Literary Award and the Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction, among other honors. Recently she coauthored a digital novella, C

      9 min read

    • Article

      Bookmark This

      Feb 22, 2022

      A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself Nedra Glover Tawwab • TarcherPerigee “‘Boundaries’ can be such a broad and intimidating term,” therapist, author, and relationship expert Nedra Glover Tawwab writes in the first few pages of Set Boundaries, Find Peace.

      6 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Practical Wisdom

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Practical Wisdom - Tamera Siminow

      more.

      Practical Wisdom for

      When You Need

      Vision

      Michelangelo is said to have seen an angel inside a block of stone and carved it until he set her free. To be able to see something buried within like that is to have vision. Michelangelo certainly had vision, but it doesn’t take one of the world’s most talented artists to have this skill. It takes a willingness to look and to see, to see through distortions of our own making. We can each have vision.

      There is no passion to be found playing small—in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.

      —Nelson Mandela

      Born Rolihlahl Mandela, Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) was a South African anti-apartheid activist who, as president of South Africa, led his country through a largely non-violent revolution. Mandela served 27 years in prison for his political activism. He won many awards for his lifelong efforts, including a Nobel Peace Prize.

      Mandela reportedly went through a major transformation during his many years in prison, growing from an angry, violent young man into a revered, peace-oriented statesman. He reflected at one point that, as he left prison, he realized that if he didn’t shed his hatred and bitterness, he would remain imprisoned. Mandela worked after his release as head of the African National Congress, and, along with South African President FW de Klerk, created a low-violence transition of power. In 1994, shortly after voting for the first time in his life, he became president of South Africa. Mandela’s dedication to peace and equality earned him worldwide respect and admiration. His life serves as an example of what one can achieve by refusing to play life small.

      You needn’t aim for the stature of someone like Mandela, nor do you need fame or wealth; that isn’t really the point. Instead, Mandela called on people to step into their true selves and lives. Being fully oneself IS playing big, especially when so many others take the path of least resistance and conform to societal pressures that really don’t apply to their authentic lives.

      Questions and Thoughts for Consideration

      What does playing big mean to you?

      How can you tell when you’re living authentically as opposed to living someone else’s idea of what your life should be?

      If you’re not already playing big, what has to shift in your life for you to grow? If you perceive yourself to be living far from your ideal, what small steps can you take to get you moving in the direction you desire?

      If you’re going through hell, keep going.

      —Anonymous

      Often attributed to Sir Winston Churchill

      Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965) was a British politician who had a long and distinguished career. He was beloved for the strength and courage he demonstrated in his role as Prime Minister, he also was a talented writer and painter.

      Even though it may not seem like it at first glance, this is probably the most encouraging quote in the book. Churchill is simultaneously reminding us not to stop and get stuck in our misery while informing us that if we keep going, there is life on the other side. He certainly knew this well from personal experience.

      History has painted him as the tough, determined statesman who led England through World War II, whose courage served as a powerful example to the citizens who might otherwise have given up under the terror of the Blitz and the tremendous loss of life and property. The truth is far more complicated. At certain times of his life, Churchill failed at more things than he achieved. He suffered intermittently from crippling depression. He ran his household perilously close to financial ruin. He failed at times during his military service, and he was voted out of political office. He failed spectacularly, suffered through his own hell, and, on the other side of that hell, he grew into one of the greatest statesmen the world has ever known. If he, of all people, says keep going through life’s hard times, it’s worth listening.

      Questions and Thoughts for Consideration

      When in your life have you lived through hard times? Did you navigate through them in ways you feel good about? What did you learn that you can apply to future experiences?

      If you’re going through a difficult time right now, from where can you marshal the resources and support you need to keep going? They’re out there, even if you have to get creative to identify and find them.

      Who do you know who’s going through hell with grace and dignity? Specifically, what about this person’s behavior stands out for you?

      You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.

      —Anonymous

      This quote often is misattributed to Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963), who was a British writer and Christian theologian. Although his books are still popular reading for those studying Christian spirituality, he is perhaps most famous for his children’s series, the Chronicles of Narnia.

      When I was a child, I adored our family physician, Norman Powers. He was knowledgeable, kind, and in his quiet, wise way, he saved my mother’s life by diagnosing a simple skin condition that had raged out of control like a wildfire, and none of several other doctors had identified. But, even more impressive than Dr. Powers was his mother. In her eighties, she decided to begin working on her bachelor’s degree, a dream she had had for decades. I believe she was 89 or 90 when she graduated, and Dr. Powers made sure to brag about her to all his patients, including me. He even made sure that her feat was covered in the local papers.

      To this day, Mrs. Powers impresses me with her recognition that it was never too late in her life to pursue her passion. If she, a 90-year-old woman woman, can do it, so can I. And so can you.

      Questions and Thoughts for Consideration

      What dreams have you let go of, regardless of your age, because you missed what you believe was the right phase of life to pursue it?

      What have you dared not consider dreaming of because you think you’re too old?

      How could you adapt your fantasies to fit your current phase of life? For example, if you once dreamed of being a ballerina, could you find a nearby ballet class for adults? Or, if football was your thing, could you consider helping coach a kids’ league so that you can inspire a new generation?

      Many a man curses the rain that falls upon his head and knows not that it brings abundance to drive away the hunger.

      —Saint Basil

      One of the giants of the early church, St. Basil the Great (330-379), or St. Basil of Caesarea, was a monk, bishop, orator, and social activist.

      It is easy to judge everything that happens in our lives as good or bad, and neglect the longer-term perspective that might make us think twice about what we perceive in the moment to be a terrible burden. We often don’t even realize that we are missing the birds’ eye view on the course of our lives.

      Most parents, including me, have to teach their children this perspective, especially when it comes to lamenting bed time and trying everything to get to stay up later. We parents know that if the child doesn’t get enough sleep, the next day will be awful—full of irritability, bad days at school, and lack of proper state of mind to enjoy the good things the day might bring, such as a play date or birthday

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1