Wisdom is not simply having knowledge. It’s also knowing how to use that knowledge. It’s having skills and knowing how to use those skills. It’s taking opportunities to learn and integrating that new knowledge into our lives, and into our previous knowledge. It’s knowing what to do and when, and forgiving ourselves when we don’t, and learning what to do in the future.

Humans as a whole are not known for being very wise. Individual humans, certainly. Even small groups can be very wise. But as a whole, we usually fall short. I think that’s in part because the wise choices are not usually the easy choices. They aren’t the choices that will bring the most money, or prestige, or attention from the masses. As groups, we’d rather listen to the loud voice that’s saying to go the easy route that everyone is paying attention to, instead of that small, quiet, wise voice inside, that’s pointing to the road that’s a little rockier, a little obscure. 

Listening to our inner wisdom can be a real act of courage. Acting on that wisdom can be an even greater one. And sharing it with others, being the small, quiet, wise voice in the crowd, might be the greatest act of courage of them all.

I hope these affirmations can help us be that voice.