Good advice is harder to come across than you might think. Most times, when someone tries to give you advice, you shrug it off, thinking you already know what they've just told you. Yes, Kathy, I know getting back together with Pierce is making the same mistake again and again and hoping for something different. I get that!
...The best advice is the one you never see coming, never thought to ignore, but the one you actually listen to. Let's talk about them.
Reddit user, u/noob_24, wanted to know what they should think of when times are tough when they asked:
What is the best advice you have ever received? The advice that has impacted your life the most?
There's No Secret
fixing homer simpson GIFGiphyMy current boss says something as a joke that has helped me a lot more than he realizes, I am a mechanic but am not always the most confident (even when I know what I'm doing). He says "only one way to fix it, fix it." Weirdly enough it always makes me focus and remember there's no secret trick he knows that I dont, just got to do it. Applied that to other areas of my life and it helps so much more than I would have thought
This...Yeah, That Makes Sense
Don't skimp on things that seperate your ass from the road.
This includes furniture, shoes, tires, safety equipment, etc.
My back used to be a train wreck until I started wearing better shoes and sleeping on a much better bed.
There's No Point In Fearing The Inevitable
"Don't fear death. If you can't escape, then why waste your life fearing it? When you die, you'll regret keeping your fear from enjoying your life to the fullest."
The best part is that I asked a random kid sitting next to me that I barely knew because I was so worried about death. He pulled through for me though! Thanks random kid from art class! You taught me a lot!
A Little Bit Of Workout Is Good For Everyone
I have scoliosis (22 degrees). Throughout my teenage years as I started getting taller, I started to experience pain, burning under my left shoulder blade. My best friend's dad, an orthopedic surgeon, would often tell me that if I made a habit of working out and built some muscle around my spine it wouldn't hurt so much.
It took me until I was 18 to actually do it. And holy sh-t! It works! Now I recommend strength training to everyone.
Any Of These Are Great For The Workplace
There are a few pieces of advice I always cling to.
- "You're not there to make friends."
Said to me by a friend when I had just become a manager at my job and was struggling to discipline or correct behavior. I'm at a different job now, not as a manager, but it still helps me when I'm feeling that "everyone hates me and thinks I'm stupid" feeling
2. "No one is ever in control of a situation. You have to give the illusion of control."
My brother told me this when giving me advice before working in healthcare. At the end of the day, what happens, happens, and all you can do is roll with the punches, make your best decisions, and try to come out on top.
3. "You can't help someone who didn't wanna be helped"
See Who Stays And Who Goes
My dad kicked me out of my home state when I was 19. I was a decent kid who got good grades and had a lot of potential. But all I wanted to do was party. I knew that I would not make it in college so I just went to work and partied. The crowd I was hanging around with was pretty rough. They were always getting into some sort of trouble
So my dad told me to get out. He said to go anywhere and come back in a few years to see where my "friends" are. So, not really having anything else to do, I moved across the country, went to work, and partied until I was broke. Then I found that the bills were not getting paid and I had no food so I stopped partying and started focusing on living
A few years later I moved back home and found that my dad was right. The "friends" never grew up and were still getting into trouble all of the time. Some even went to jail for a while. I never hung out with them again
Choose To Lose
"Pick a failure."
Sometimes the only options available involve some sort of failure. That's ok. Just pick one, own it, and move on. There's almost never an instant, magic solution without long term consequences. That rare time there is, learn to really embrace it.
Talk Less, Smile More
I went to work in construction right out of high school. Before my first day my grandfather told me, to be successful, keep your ears open, your mouth shut, and constantly outwork the person next to you. I lived that advice and it has served me very well.
Don't Worry Too Much
Nobody's looking at you. They're worrying about how they look.
The cure for imposter syndrome is to realize that everyone else around you also has imposter syndrome.
Ask And Learn First Before You Act Stupid
It is better to ask and seem stupid; then not to ask and be stupid.
You Better Listen To Nick Fury
"Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on." -Nick Fury - Avengers
Put my anxiety into perspective and doing things will not be the end of me. Less afraid of the unknown future and stuff like that.
No One Can Cause Or Fix Your Pain
No matter who you blame for your distress, your pain still exists and you continue to suffer. While we can't always control the pain in our lives, we can control the amount of suffering we have in response to that pain.
Let The Anger Go
Anyone you hate probably isnt worth the time it takes to hate them or the enegry it takes to insult them
Take Care Of Yourself
All the love you need is within you.
Literally, it's your brain that dishes out the happy stuff. Others just have an indirect effect on your happiness.
KidneyBeamsYou Have Them For A Reason
"Use your vacation hours, and don't be afraid to call in sick every now and then either". No need to work like a dog and ignore your benefits to please a boss who doesn't notice. Vacation/staycation days are gems that everyone should take!
It's Not Just The Advice, But The Person Telling You
"Try to learn something new every day." Told to me by a Polish concentration camp survivor when I was around 8 years old. I still miss you Mr. Rodowicz.
It's A Partnership
Marriage shouldn't be a 50/50 split. It should be a 60/40 split where both are trying to be the 60%.
Along those same lines...
Marriage isn't "you vs. me" - it's "us vs. the problem"
My husband and I try to keep that in mind when arguing. We'll take a step back and use our combined brainpower (building ideas off each other's ideas) to solve the problem together. It also gives you this camaraderie of "hey, we figured out a solution together!" even if the problem was originally one of us being mad at the other for something they did.