I am a (mostly) self-taught, lifelong learner. Oh yes…I’m one who takes copious notes. Research shows that hand-written notes make a better impression on the brain than recording notes electronically. Thus, one of my best ideas was to take notes in one notebook until it was full, then start another. I added tabs to help keep some order of organization.

I have a lot of notes from many smart people. As I was trying to recall who expressed a certain idea the other day, I ended up going through that first notebook page by page. There is much wisdom contained in those pages! I’m going to share some with you, and you may find one of these random thoughts may be just what you needed to hear or think about today.

Why did God create humankind? One idea is to be co-creators—to build, to hold sovereignty over the world while we protect it.

Regarding getting stronger or in shape: Don’t think “If I work hard, I can do THIS.” Instead, appreciate what you can already do with what you have in the moment. Be grateful for now. Forget about the goal. Appreciate the dance, the journey, the process.

Maintaining a healthy weight is good for memory function.

Watch what steals your time, your energy, your money.

Be careful of noble obstacles—a belief that you have to FIRST do something else. Note from me: In 2018 I had penned my noble obstacle to teaching on Zoom; “I can’t teach on ZOOM until I’m a ZOOM expert.” Ha! I’m in the middle of teaching a five-week class and I’m still not a ZOOM expert. I overcame my noble obstacle!

What does it mean when we say, “I don’t have time”?

Social creatures care about others, even complete strangers.

Six types of images can elicit an emotional response:

Human faces, babies, animals and animal babies, inspiration, nostalgia, and happiness.

G.I. Joe was wrong when he said, “Knowledge is half the battle.” Because knowledge is NOT enough to change behavior.

Who is counting on me to win, to be my best, today?

Reading is the best exercise for the brain.

Gratitude is the character strength most clearly linked to well-being.

Many little good things happen throughout the day. When you have one, hang with it for 20-30 seconds to embed it in your brain. Then when you go to bed that night, take a minute to recall the good things that happened today. This sets you up to look for and remember good moments every day. Be aware. Savor the good.

Gratefulness = Great Fullness

Internal resources that predict our ability to develop wisdom: mastery, openness, reflectivity, and emotion regulation including empathy.

And in closing, from Jane Goodall on aging: Instead of slowing down, speed up! Have a purpose and realize you have less time to make your mark.

I hope you enjoyed this hodgepodge of wisdom from others! I had so much fun compiling it, I think that next week’s post will continue on with more.