TLC book tour

In the spirit of trying new things, I accepted an invitation, via email, from TLC Book Tours. I was asked to simply offer a book review online, of a book that matched my interests, in exchange for a free copy. I received The Wisdom To Know The Difference~when to make a change and when to let go, by, Eileen Flanagan. And, indeed, it does match my interests.

The book offers guidance on how to move forward in life, especially when facing a difficult situation. Filled with examples and stories of at least 30 ordinary people facing a variety of struggles, Ms. Flanagan encourages her readers to listen to their inner voices and intuitions to discern whether change or acceptance is needed to come to a place of serenity. At the end of each chapter, Ms. Flanagan offers a series of reflective questions that encourage her readers to draw out their own inner knowing.

Ms.Flanagan has divided her book in to 7 chapters or “7 spiritual lessons to help you live fearlessly", each offering an approach to understanding whether a situation is best handled with action to achieve change or acceptance to achieve serenity~

1. The Courage to Question
2. Knowing Yourself
3. Seeking Divine Wisdom
4. Shifting Your Perspective
5. Practicing Loving Acceptance
6. Letting Go of Outcomes
7. Finding Wisdom in Community

Although I found the "Letting Go Of Outcomes"  chapter to be the most currently relevant for me, I folded page after page down in most of the others, knowing I would want to refer back to many poignant passages.


Here are some passages that I will reread over and over again:

From page 98~ "I've come to trust that when things don't look like they are going well, it's often because God has something better in store for me than what I had in mind. Usually I have to stop whining and accept whatever is before I can appreciate what could be."

From page 51~ "...you cannot change how you were raised or what messages you received as a child. You can, however, become conscious of what those messages were and work to overcome them. You cannot control your emotions or banish painful feelings from your life, but you can face {them} so  they do not control you unconsciously. If you avoid facing them, if you choose to simply suppress your difficult emotions, you will never find serenity because those emotions will continue to eat away at you from the inside, manifesting in anxiety, depression or even physical symptoms."

If guidance is needed for finding your way beyond challenging situations, this is the book to turn to.

To learn more about Eileen Flanagan and The Wisdom To Know The Difference, view her website,
http://www.eileenflanagan.com.