Living the Serenity Prayer

The Wisdom to Know the Difference

By Eileen Flanagan

Many of us know and love the Serenity Prayer:

God, grant us serenity to accept the things we cannot change,
Courage to change the things we can,
And wisdom to know the difference.

Many of us spend too much time anxious about things we cannot change: the economy, the weather, traffic on the freeway, or people who annoy us. As a result, we don’t have the energy to make the most of the opportunities we do have. Recognizing the difference between what we can and cannot change can help us live more peaceful and productive lives.

Read the first tip for cultivating wisdom.