If I knew then, what I know now ...

How often have you heard seniors say if I knew then, what I know now? Not only I have heard that many times, I have also said it often myself.

An admission, perhaps, that, as youngsters, we are ill prepared to tackle complex life challenges or that we could have avoided some mistakes with a good dose of experience.  Unfortunately, when we get older, many of the mistakes we made along the way are not repairable.  So our experience and learning seem to have little or no value to us because, as the cliché teaches us, it is difficult or impossible to put toothpaste back into the tube.  Does it have to be this way?  Maybe not!

Three weeks ago, I emailed my good friend Allan Katcher, Ph.D. to wish him happy holidays.  I have known Allan since 1972 when he certified me in the use of an instrument he and Stewart Atkins had developed to measure interpersonal styles (LIFO).   From the moment we met, we liked one another and became friends.  I later asked Allan to serve on my doctoral committee.  Allan is a brilliant psychologist and a great teacher.  I have admired his style and bubbly personality ever since.   During our exchange of emails, we talked about our current interests and activities.  I asked him to read my blog.  After perusing it, Allan said that I might be interested in reading his latest publication. 

Two weeks ago I received a copy of his book entitled If We Knew Then, What We Know Now, available through Amazon.com.   The co-author is Irving S. Newmark, a retired dentist and psychologist.  The book reflects the accumulated knowledge of two octogenarian students of human behavior.

What Allan and his colleague Irving have written is a magnificent compendium of resource material for improving important elements of our life.  They provide tools for self-examination and suggest strategies for improving a number of challenges:

·              Improving intimate relationships

·            Raising emotionally healthier children

·           Achieving financial security

·           Finding enjoyment at work

·          Healthy aging

·         Reducing Stress and distress

The running theme of the book is the power of possibilities for a longer, happier, and healthier life.  Allan and Irving share freely with the reader invaluable insights and their experience gained over many years, with personal anecdotes. 

The book includes personal assessment questions, goal setting prompts, way to establish key success factors, guides for exploration of what is possible, and a variety of suggestions for making better choices.  As a result, the book serves as a study guide for managing one’s journey more deliberately and more successfully.

In today’s fast moving world, we seem to rush through life without the opportunity to stop and deliberately reflect on what is important to us and how to improve important elements of our lives.

Katcher and Newmark make a great contribution to us.  They share freely what they have learned so that we might benefit from their experience and, perhaps, make better choices.  Thank you, Allan and Irving!!!