People Share Life Advice They Received That Turned Out To Be Really Useful (35 Pics)
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Ah, life advice! It’s that wonderful thing that we just looove handing out (but hate listening to). Among all the pleasures in life, handing out life advice to a friend or even a complete stranger on the internet has got to rank among the top 100, for sure. And there’s hardly anything better than giving someone advice that we ourselves should be following but aren’t, am I right, dear Pandas?
For instance, I know so much about eating healthily, it’s ridiculous. Do I practice what I preach? Heck no! However, this list is about surprisingly good advice. Advice that’s useful. Timely. Concise. And, frankly, just spot-on. Internet users started sharing all these golden nuggets of wisdom after LA-based TV writer Amanda Deibert created a viral Twitter thread. Bored Panda reached out to her about her thread and you can find what she told us below.
Scroll down and upvote the advice you think is the best and be sure to share some of your own pearls of wisdom in the comment section below. But beware: even though these tips are useful, far from every bit of advice is good for us, as we’re about to find out.
More info: Twitter | AmandaDeibert.com
Image credits: amandadeibert
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My parents taught me that too. "If you can't afford to give it away, you can't afford to loan it."
It’s better to have your nose in a book than someone else’s business. Periodt ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ
Amanda told Bored Panda that the thread had a lot of great advice and "a wealth of amazing wisdom." In her opinion, the reason why we're so great at giving advice instead of listening to it is that it's easier to see situations clearly for other people.
"When it is our own life, we also have to deal with our own emotions and attachments and habits. I can easily see something with detachment when it isn't my own issue. I think it is actually incredibly difficult to detach and really look at your own life," she explained.
We were also interested to get Amanda's opinion on how we can learn to follow our own advice better. After all, quite a lot of us know what we should be doing better in life but aren't following our own tips despite knowing they're good.
"I think change is difficult and scary and most good advice revolves around change. Actually, that was one of my favorite bits of advice in the thread: not making a decision is a decision... and it's the easiest one to make. I think the best way around it is to remember that. Good things are difficult and take work, but sitting back and allowing life to just happen is a choice."
‘Inc.’ points out that successful entrepreneurs “know the value of listening to advice from others,” however, they suggest having a “buyer must beware” type of mentality. In other words, you can’t switch off your mind and follow someone blindly: you might end up in the middle of the woods with no road in sight.
For instance, ‘Inc.’ suggests keeping a keen eye on the context in which the advice was given: are you at a boardroom or a bar? Also, keep in mind that far from everyone is out to help you. They might give you bad advice to slow you down or send you spiraling in the wrong direction. (Yup, corporate life can be brutal.)
You don't have to be liked by everyone, just as you don't like everyone you meet! :)
Furthermore, you really should be wary of unsolicited advice. Always ask yourself: what is this person’s motivation? What do they gain from me following their advice? Is there any substance to it? Is it self-serving? Do they simply like hearing themselves talk? When you really start digging deep, you’ll find that there are few diamonds in the rough among the lumps of coal. But the gems you find—they’re priceless when polished with practice and proper application.
The thing about advice is that there’s no panacea, no single cure-all tidbit of wisdom that’s going to apply to everyone equally. Some relationship advice is going to be fantastic for somebody going through a break-up but not for someone in the middle of a marriage crisis.
Similarly, specific dieting advice might work for a small handful of pro-athletes, but it might be barely effective for someone looking to lose weight. It’s all about weighing in and evaluating each bit of advice separately. What works for someone else might not work for you and vice versa.
However, we can over-think things and we might get analysis paralysis if we only think about which advice is good for us without actually testing some of it out. At least some experimentation is necessary for us to determine what tips and tricks work for us and which ones are best left for someone else.
Depends on the company and the person you answer to, sadly. Many bosses do want to be asked about every little thing.
The problem is that most of us have an opinion about most things. And it can be… difficult to see the difference between somebody’s opinion masquerading as advice and actual advice that the person has applied in their lives and found success. So asking a few follow-up questions is always a plus. Best-case scenario? You go in-depth and fill that noggin of yours with even more useful knowledge than you thought was available. Worst-case scenario? You find out that the person hasn’t been following their own advice and is only speaking on a theoretical level.
wasn't there a study done investigating a correlation between severity of criminal conviction and time since the Judge's lunch break?
Speaking of which, isn’t it amazing how bad some of us can be in following our advice? We know what works. We’ve seen it work. We’ve doled out the advice to others and watched it work miracles, but we still won’t cut back on our sugar intake/go for nature walks/try meditating every day. Sometimes, it all comes down to just doing it because our minds can (and will) find every excuse known to humankind just to keep you in your comfort zone.
When I run for President in 20 or so years, I’m going to go for the philosopher angle. Hopefully, the difference between me and the other candidates (and previous presidents) will make people at least stop and think. I don’t want to win, but if I can just make two people closer or make one cop stop and think before he shoots, that will be worth everything.
This isn’t the first time that Bored Panda has written about TV writer Amanda. We’ve already featured her threads in articles before, including about a seemingly ordinary-looking house listing that’s actually got tons of mannequins posed inside, as well as her thread about women sharing all the ways they protect themselves while running.
Some days when you can just barely show up are because of the day before. But show up! Today is the day to start making your happy ending. Until the day they put you in the grave, is never too late to have one.
Just make a decision. If it turns out wrong, learn from it. If it turns out right, learn from it. And: not making a decision is also a decision.
In addition, stories make the interview feel more like an informal chat instead of being stuffy. And chatting makes you more relaxed, making it easier to show your true self!
I always try to give myself overnight or at least a few hours after writing something important for work. Fresh eyes let you see a lot.
I love cooking, but every now and then I will indulge myself to a souvlaki! :)
You can't plan everything and sometimes the things you don't plan on are the best things that happen to you.
That's true, there is no certain age that you should live for yourself...lots of people have children young and travel when the kids go off to college. The best thing to do is find a balance so that you're always "living for yourself" part of the time...treat yo self!
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I missed out a ton in my 20s because I was working full time, in college full time, and incredibly poor. My big Saturday night was getting a four loko. Tasted horrible but my husband and I could split one and get a slight buzz for very little cash. But only on the Saturdays we were feeling fancy. Spending my 30s catching up on all the things I wanted to do in my 20s.
This kind of thinking is so restrictive. Do whatever you want in your 20s and keep doing it in your 30s and beyond. You don’t have to have kids at any point. Or you can have them when you’re 23 if you’re able to handle that. Lots of people spend their whole 20s figuring themselves out and then really living their best lives and traveling, finishing school and adventuring in their 30s. This is more advice for mommies and daddies and people from generations ago.
That's BS. Just spend your life however you want to! You're an adult, nobody can tell you how to live, screw the norms. I had kids in my 20s, now I'm in my 40s and the kids are adults, I have a stable income and am young enough to enjoy life. I'll also enjoy life in my 50s and 60s and 70s, age or society's expectation won't dictate what I do.
Another POV: My mom said, "Either you travel or you have kids when you're in your 20s and 30s ... if you travel now, you have less money and know less about the world. And you'll have teens until your 50s. OR you can have a young family while you have lots of energy, creativity, and we're around to help you. When they leave, you'll have more money but you'll also understand and appreciate what you see." She was right. My parents did that. So did we. Now we love living in the tropics, teaching and traveling the world, and have no regrets that we spent ourselves on our kids/grands when we were young. We're watching friends who partied hard and long now "tied down" to their families as we enjoy our freedom...
Even after your 20s, try to live as if you'll one day write a fabulous memoir rather than a strident self-help book.
Yes. I told my kids to do two things before they got married :get as much education as you can and travel as much as you can because once you are married other things get in the way. They both took my advice in different ways.
I had my daughter at 19 and my son at 21. 5 months after my son was born I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and have always been very brittle. Had I waited I would never have had my kids. Also, I feel like my husband and I kind of grew up with them. It wasn't always easy and I would never recommend any particular time of life for anyone to start their family but for my husband and I it worked, we didn't plan them but o have never once considered them "accidents", they were happy surprises. I'm now 47 and have an almost 2 year old granddaughter and when I needed a kidney transplant my daughter donated one of hers. I don't feel like I missed out on anything either.
wish i had done that. i married right out of high school. was divorced 3 years later. i wasnt 'allowed' to do a lot of things like work, go to college, have friends...
I became a single mom in my twenties. Unexpected, but my baby gave me a reason to live, not just to exist.
Good for you. By my 30s I was no longer able to have kids. I lived my 40s traveling when my kids were adults and I had money to do it really well.
My mom told me, "Have fun now when you have no money - in your 20s, or have kids now and enjoy the world when you have money and time after the kids grow up." We did that. Live in the tropics, teach across the world, and love it ... after 4 kids in our 20s - mid-40s.. No regrets. Would have been exhausting to have teens around in our 50s ...
Agreed. Everyone around me got married before 25, had kids, some kids happened before 25, they were mostly divorced by late 20's early 30's and bitter. Then they all wondered why it didn't work. Take time to know who you are as an adult, take the time for your brain to finish developing, take the time to feel comfortable in the working world, then start in on trying to marriage and family.
Also, it's not a competition of who has the hardest problem (and on that note, when someone is telling you their problems, don't tell them yours, just listen and if they ask, provide help)
The first part is truly questionable. If person ALWAYS thinks of the future - they does not living and enjoing a present. I think, if someone follow this piece of advice, later on they will become one of thouse eldery people who regret they worked to much instead of travelling or being with loved ones and just be happy.
yeah, my mom made sure I took typing in high school (back in the 80's), cause she said if I could type, I'd always be able to get a job. And she was right.
Unless you enjoy the thing. Like I will never be a great, or even good piano player but I have fun doing it.
Am advice my father gave to my brother some 30 years ago, when my brother was in his early 20s: "Alcohol is the most potent solvent known to mankind. It dissolves bank accounts, careers, and families. It all starts with a few glasses now and then." About ten years ago, shortly after my dad has died, my brother confessed to me he should have listened.
I was mormon so didn't drink until in my 30s. Honestly I learned that it's really unnecessary at best. I like being able to have a good time with all of my mental faculties with me.
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My favourite is always - just because someone is a drama queen - it does not mean that you have to stop and watch the show.
"Explain and Excuse are not the same thing" - IE just because you can explain someone's behaviour does not excuse it.
Best advice I ever received was "you are not required to set yourself on fire just to keep someone else warm" I've used it both professionally and in personal relationships.
My mom: "Never have sex with someone you wouldn't want to share child custody with."
My advice for relationships that are neither good nor very bad: Ask for a small favour (do you have chewing gum?can I borrow a pen?). My theory is 1. person feels recognized/needed 2. you got them to do something for you which might stay in their subconcience and built a connection and a reference for future contact. Google Benjamin-Franklin-Effect
It's okay to accept limitations and live your life the best way you can and be happy. Other people may have expectations for what your life should be, but don't waste your life trying to be something you're not. Live your life for yourself, not for someone else.
I'm mostly housebound due to chronic illness that started in my teens, this definitely resonates with me!
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Here's one: People are not good or bad - it's circumstances that make them so.
And here's another. Once I was thinking about letting an employee go who had screwed up in a similar fashion two times. I was considering giving him a third chance. My friend said, "Once is a pattern." Her statement proved to be right so many times. Everyone makes mistakes, but it's the way they make it (or the way they own up to it) and how the work to correct it that shows the very first time if it was an honest one-off mistake or a pattern. Pay attention when someone does something or says something. You're probably seeing a repeating pattern. Cut your losses early.
When I was debating about getting a divorce from a man who wasn't "that bad" my sister gave me this advice: Ask yourself these two questions: 1. If it never got any better than it is right now, is it good enough 2. If it never got any worse than it is right now, is it bad enough I took her words to heart. It wasn't good enough. I got a divorce and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Things don't have to be falling apart and on the verge of catastrophe before you make a decision to let something go. Her advice has served me well in many decisions over the years.
Am advice my father gave to my brother some 30 years ago, when my brother was in his early 20s: "Alcohol is the most potent solvent known to mankind. It dissolves bank accounts, careers, and families. It all starts with a few glasses now and then." About ten years ago, shortly after my dad has died, my brother confessed to me he should have listened.
I was mormon so didn't drink until in my 30s. Honestly I learned that it's really unnecessary at best. I like being able to have a good time with all of my mental faculties with me.
Load More Replies... My favourite is always - just because someone is a drama queen - it does not mean that you have to stop and watch the show.
"Explain and Excuse are not the same thing" - IE just because you can explain someone's behaviour does not excuse it.
Best advice I ever received was "you are not required to set yourself on fire just to keep someone else warm" I've used it both professionally and in personal relationships.
My mom: "Never have sex with someone you wouldn't want to share child custody with."
My advice for relationships that are neither good nor very bad: Ask for a small favour (do you have chewing gum?can I borrow a pen?). My theory is 1. person feels recognized/needed 2. you got them to do something for you which might stay in their subconcience and built a connection and a reference for future contact. Google Benjamin-Franklin-Effect
It's okay to accept limitations and live your life the best way you can and be happy. Other people may have expectations for what your life should be, but don't waste your life trying to be something you're not. Live your life for yourself, not for someone else.
I'm mostly housebound due to chronic illness that started in my teens, this definitely resonates with me!
Load More Replies... Here's one: People are not good or bad - it's circumstances that make them so.
And here's another. Once I was thinking about letting an employee go who had screwed up in a similar fashion two times. I was considering giving him a third chance. My friend said, "Once is a pattern." Her statement proved to be right so many times. Everyone makes mistakes, but it's the way they make it (or the way they own up to it) and how the work to correct it that shows the very first time if it was an honest one-off mistake or a pattern. Pay attention when someone does something or says something. You're probably seeing a repeating pattern. Cut your losses early.
When I was debating about getting a divorce from a man who wasn't "that bad" my sister gave me this advice: Ask yourself these two questions: 1. If it never got any better than it is right now, is it good enough 2. If it never got any worse than it is right now, is it bad enough I took her words to heart. It wasn't good enough. I got a divorce and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Things don't have to be falling apart and on the verge of catastrophe before you make a decision to let something go. Her advice has served me well in many decisions over the years.
