 Photo: Freepik.com "Wisdom is not a product of schooling, but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it." ~ Albert Einstein When I was younger, I used to enjoy reading advice columns in our local papers. One interesting piece I would often ponder was that, quite often, the writer already knew the answer to his or her dilemma. Perhaps simply a new perspective or validation was what the writer was seeking. Each case is different, but seeking wisdom on how to respond to various situations is certainly commendable. Early in my career journey, I was employed as a social worker at the Salvation Army. In this role, I counseled people who were in the strongholds of, or in recovery from, drug and alcohol addiction. Week after week, I imparted advice and strategies to clients, seeking to empower them to overcome their serious issues with substances. I was invested in their recovery and partnered with them to see their lives changed for the better. Through this experience, and my many years as a teacher, I have gathered insights about wisdom that I would like to share. Let’s dig a little deeper together. Wisdom Listens Before It Speaks Photo: Freepik.com Before we can truly help someone, we need to attentively listen to their story and get a good handle on what the situation is and where the problems lie. Jumping into problem-solving prematurely is very counterproductive to both the speaker and the listener. It opens us up to misunderstanding and frustration if it feels that what someone is saying to us is not being understood. Wise people listen well and share guidance at the appropriate time. There are times when listening only could be the best option. People are at different stages of needing help, so being very sensitive to people sharing their hearts is essential. I have been blessed to have several people share parts of their story with me that they have never shared with anyone. I feel honoured that they trust me and want to always maintain an atmosphere of comfort and safety so they can share freely. Listening with our hearts, not just our ears, does that. Wise People Apply What They Hear Photo: Freepik.com The most productive people do more than just listen to great advice. They actually take it to heart and apply it to their lives. Decision-making can be challenging. Seeking input from others who have walked a similar path to you can be so helpful. They can share their success tips and help you avoid pitfalls they experienced. When seeking wisdom from others, be very open-minded and attentive. Expect to acquire tools that will empower you to take positive steps to change your life. Actions speak louder than words. Just listening to advice does nothing to move the needle for your problem-solving. Take messy action. Take the first step. You do not have to do everything perfectly. Many aspects of life change are works in progress. Believe in yourself. You are not confused. You are figuring this out little by little, and you can do it! Counsel Is Meant to Refine Us, Not Just Comfort Us Photo: Freepik.com When seeking counsel, envision yourself on the other side of your struggles. It is a very powerful visualization strategy. I would often tell my friends and clients that I would chat with that someday the challenges they are experiencing will one day be an inspiration to others. At times they found this hard to believe but time after time this was the case if they were willing to do the hard work needed. People can rise above their struggles and be a role model to others. When seeking advice and wisdom from others, be very proactive in your approach. Believe that this process will really change you and your situations from this day forward. Wisdom requires teachability. Seek wise counsel and soak up what they have to share with you. Go with a notepad and pen and record the strategies you will use. Be accountable. Check back with updates and record your progress. Trust me. When you are serious about change, your story will be a beacon of hope for others someday. Call to action:
Until next time, Dana
Tags: wisdom, life lessons, personal growth, advice, listening skills, problem solving, decision making, social work, recovery, mentorship, self improvement, empowerment, teachability, guidance, personal development, motivation, growth mindset, positive changeCopyright: littlelessonslearnedbydana, © 2025
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 Photo by Yan Krukau “Wisdom is the right use of knowledge” Charles H. Spurgeon Our morning meetings in my elementary classroom have become a true highlight of my day. These meetings are a great way to get to know each other better and focus on bonding as a class. One of the favourite components of our Morning Meeting is our “Fun Fact” section that shares some little-known bits of trivia from this great big world of ours. Under the topic of fun facts, there have been some really cool and unique things mentioned. Here are a few, all courtesy of BBC Science Focus Magazine. Did you know that the average lifespan of a monarch butterfly is sadly 2 – 6 weeks? Are you aware that identical twins do not have the same fingerprints? How about this one... Giraffes are 30 times more likely to be hit by lightning than people. Don’t you feel so much smarter now knowing this random information? Perhaps not! Whether you knew these things or not, does not really make a difference in the grand scheme of things.  Photo by Magda Ehlers In our Animal unit study one year we were talking about the diets of animals, and I was introducing the vocabulary of herbivore, carnivore and omnivore. I had picked up a card game at the Dollar store where you had to name what type of eater each animal was. Some were clearly easier than others. I told the students the game was tricky, and as we were just introducing this topic to just have fun with it. Well... one little guy was NOT having it. He CLEARLY did NOT think it was all in good fun. He was in it to WIN it! When his teammate was asked what type of eater a water buffalo was, and the friend unfortunately got it wrong, he replied in pure frustration “Come on! A water buffalo is a herbivore! EVERYBODY KNOW DAT!” Finding it hard to keep a straight face at his comical reply, I said “Actually everyone does not know that because I certainly did not! Life is like that sometimes. We assume people should know certain things. We can get angry when they don’t know what we expect them to know. Surprisingly, what seems common knowledge to us, could actually be brand-new, mind-blowing information to someone else. Shocking I know, but true. We could go our whole lives not needing to know that the town with the longest name ever is named Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, (true story) but there are certain things that people absolutely do need to know.  Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko Amongst those NEED-TO-KNOW things is you need to know what the almighty God of the universe thinks about you. Not everyone is familiar with the Bible and I completely respect that. I am very proud and honoured to share what the Bible says about you. In the Bible God says so much about us, but I will highlight five things in particular. You are not alone.The Bible speaks of Jesus as the "friend that sticks closer than a brother." It also states that He will never leave us or forsake us. It is so reassuring to know that when you put your trust in Him, He will never leave you high and dry. You never have to worry where He went when the times get tough, because as always, He is right by you side 24/7. *(Proverbs 18:24, Deuteronomy 31:8) * You are always on God’s mind.This one blows me away! The God of the universe is thinking of ME? With everything that He is in charge of each and every day, we are still never absent from His thoughts. Now that is a powerful truth for sure! * (Psalms 139 – 17-18) *  You are God’s Masterpiece created with a unique purpose.I remember a pastor saying once in a wonderful sermon, that your purpose came first, and then God created you specifically to fulfill it! It really resonated with me especially on the days that I felt like a complete failure. We are all a work in progress and it is never the case that God is thinking, so what am I going to do with this one? It is the exact opposite actually. He believes in us implicitly and is confident that we can fulfill our unique destiny in Christ. * (Ephesians 2:10) * Every second He loves you.God's love is unconditional. He could never love you any more or any less than He does right now. You can rest in that assurance that you will not fall from grace with God. He loves you period. Drop the mic! * (Jeremiah 31: 3) *  Photo by Cherith Runyon on Unsplash You are Forgiven and Free!You are forgiven and free! All you have to do is ask God to forgive your sins. Every sin that we have or ever will commit was covered when Jesus went to the cross for us. Also the Bible tells us that not only does He forgive us, but He also throws our sins into the sea of His forgetfulness. Beyond that, my sweet Mom would always say this cute and true ending to this beautiful forgiveness story. She would say and "THEN He posts a NO FISHING sign" to keep us moving in the RIGHT direction! * ( Jeremiah 31:34, Micah 7:19) * Well my friends, I don't know if this is new information for you, or simply a great reminder. My question for you now though is, now that you know these beautiful truths and you do know "dat" what will you do with it? As always, I welcome an opportunity to pray with you or continue this important conversation. I can be reached at [email protected]. Until next time, Dana Little Lesson Learned: You need to know that God thinks you are incredibly special and you are so dearly loved. Tags: trivia, Bible teaching, self esteem, Bible verses, Who we are in Christ, Christian blogger, Christian blogger, elementary teaching, forgiveness, God's love
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