What I Know Now : Simple Lessons Learned the Hard Way

by Sarah, The Duchess of York Ferguson

• ISBN13: 9780743246125
• ISBN10: 0743246128
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-01-07
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Summary

"I do not merely rise above old wrongs; I deny them their reality. I sever my connections to darker times and circumstances. I take people with a fresh eye and an open heart, as they come to me today. Their old dossiers have expired. Our new story has yet to be written." With the characteristic candor and down-to-earth charm that have won our admiration and our hearts, Sarah Ferguson The Duchess of York shares the hard-won lessons that have helped her work through challenges and lead a simpler, more fulfilling life. Admired as much for her honest assessment of her foibles as for her grace in the glare of the media's spotlight, The Duchess here reveals her most private self. She shares the truths she has discovered from embracing her flaws, striving to make every life decision with integrity, and witnessing the selfless acts of others around her. She takes on challenges both small and daunting -- from putting strangers at ease in a social setting to coping with the death of her beloved best friend; from appreciating the small wonders of the natural world to protecting private time with her girls while honoring her many work commitments. Each lesson springs from a life rich with disappointments and victories, and each lesson is seasoned with a healthy dose of humility and warm wit. Although her personal struggles have been played out on the public stage, The Duchess's thoughtful, simple approach applies to the struggles we all face. Like sharing a cup of tea with your closest confidante, What I Know Now offers advice for the everyday as it illuminates the delightful spirit, undeniable resilience, and trademark grace under fire of a woman who considers every challenge an opportunity to learn and grow.

Author Biography

Sarah Ferguson The Duchess Of York started her career in public relations at an art gallery and worked for a publisher before marrying Prince Andrew and becoming The Duchess of York in 1986. She is the author of an autobiography, several history books and books for children, and five books on diet and lifestyle with Weight Watchers International. The Duchess lives outside of London with her two daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie.

Table of Contents

Contents

Introducti

Forgiving the Past

Co-parenting and Common Sense

Eating Out, Eating Right

Reaching Out

Timing It Right

Surviving Your Critics

Laughing Out Loud

Keeping Rituals

Rejecting Rejection

Finding Empathy

Naming Names

Minding Manners

Aging Well

Taking What Life Grants You

Dressing to Thrill

Corresponding in Style

Speaking Out

Accepting a Compliment

Choosing Battles

Trusting Our Children

Learning and Living

Spending Wisely

Breaking Patterns

Keeping Faith

Trusting Others

Assuming the Best

Setting First Things First

Shelving Regret

Escaping Routine

Respecting Elders

Seeing the Light

Bending the Rules

Taking Risks

Bingeing No More

Breathing Deep

Bearing Dignity

Saying Yes to No

Living Small

Quelling Panic

Going One on One

Slowing Down

Coming Home

Finding Refuge

Taking No One for Granted

Living On

Loving Well

Author's Note