The Wisdom to Know the Difference: When to Make a Change-and When to Let Go

"The Wisdom to Know the Differenceis about being able to change. . . . What is important is that we can make a change and transform ourselves into better, happier people." (His Holiness the Dalai Lama) God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can change; and wisdom to know the difference. Millions of people have been moved by these famous last lines from the Serenity Prayer to make important and lasting changes in their lives. But how exactly can we know the difference? How can we acknowledge the real limits that we face without negating the possibility for dramatic change? In this wise book, Eileen Flanagan guides readers in determining what they can-or perhaps should- change in their lives, accepting what they cannot, and discovering the "wisdom to know the difference." Drawing on her own Quaker faith as well as a range of other religious and spiritual traditions, Flanagan shows readers how such practices as sifting through culturally preconceived notions and listening to our own inner voice can help us determine when a change is needed in our lives or when instead acceptance is the answer. This illuminating book takes the reader by the hand to discover the serenity that comes when one has gained the wisdom to know the difference.

Eileen Flanagan has appeared on television and radio, at national conferences, and on college campuses. Although she holds a BA from Duke and an MA from Yale, her greatest education in The Wisdom to Know the Difference has come from caring for her two children and her dying mother, experiences that are woven throughout her writing.