Wisdom has its roots in the values of flourishing and spirit, via the values rethink. It consists of the elements of growth (becoming a more complex person) and choice (the capacity for). I didn’t explain it very well initially, then provided more detail, and I’m not entirely sure that helped either!
But back to basics, I wanted to choose outcomes based on the critical evaluation of evidence at the time – a bit of book smarts, a bit of street smarts and a bit of thinking on your feet. I cunningly used the example of answering the question “does my bum look big in this?” It led to a lot of bum jokes…
Growth
In those early days, I was mainly concerned by my family history of dementia and Alzheimer’s, and the knowledge that continuing to use and develop the capacity for critical thinking can slow cognitive decline. And having recently revisited our aging parents, I continue to feel this is an important area of focus. My initial plan was to make the effort to learn to do cryptic crosswords (seems they keep your brain young), and to learn new things.
So, I still suck at the cryptic crosswords, though I don’t have tantrums about it anymore. As I mentioned in the pleasure review, I am very happily learning new things to support my new writing career; stuff about websites and marketing and publishing. Some days I think I can feel my brains leaking out of my ears because there is no room in my skull for all that extra knowledge. It’s been great!
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Choice
My hope for this element was to use the virtues framework to make choices consciously, rather than having them thrust upon me. To use Ruth Chang’s really interesting TEDx talk (which starts immediately) as an example again, to make subjective “on par” decisions on the things that matter to me and become the author of my life.
I think it’s going quite well. I feel I am making better decisions that are more in keeping with the things that I think are important. And I am finding my virtues framework works just as well for unimportant decisions as for the important ones. And as a bonus, I think it is making me more tolerant of other people’s decisions as well; rather than thinking they are all stupid I understand that they have to make their decisions according to the things they value.
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What’s Next?
I think my original idea of monthly research projects doesn’t have a place going forward, but the others are still valid.
- learn how to do cryptic crosswords
- make choices with the virtues framework in mind
- challenge myself to try new things
How is your progress towards wisdom coming along?
Recap
Reviewing the virtues of:
- beauty – (body, presence, home, and garden)
- friendship – (creatures, friends/family/contribution)
- pleasure – agreeing to seek out new experiences as well as make time to do unproductive things.
- wisdom – understanding ourselves and making choices based on the things we value
- wealth – having sufficient income to meet our needs and spending it wisely
Planning for the virtues of:
- beauty – living authentically and taking care of our physical well-being and surroundings (body, presence, home, and garden)
- friendship – treating the planet and other beings as well as we want to be treated (creatures, friends, family, contribution)
- pleasure – agreeing to seek out new experiences as well as make time to do unproductive things.
- wisdom – understanding ourselves and making choices based on the things we value
- wealth – having sufficient income to meet our needs and spending it wisely