35 People Share What They Thought Was A Useless Piece Of Advice, But Changed Their Minds After Trying It
Who doesn’t hate a piece of random advice coming straight at you with full force of unneeded impact? If there's anything the world would be better off without, it would be unsolicited advice.
But in reality, these wisdom bites from colleagues, friends, and whoever feels confident enough to throw one out are so common, you wonder how come they’re still legal. And one Reddit user u/5000Castillo decided to find out whether some of the advice is actually useful.
The question “What felt like a useless piece of advice until you actually tried it?” which, at first, seemed to be crossing the line, got almost 60K upvotes and a whopping 20.2K comments. The answers are in, and you will be surprised to hear the results.
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My dad always told me ‘Ask anyway, the worst they can say is no’ when buying something or when I needed something from another person. Seemed stupid to ask if I was sure they would say no but I was also a socially anxious kid. Turns out that advice has helped me with school, with raises, with people in general, with plans with new friends...
Instead of saying, "I'm sorry for being late," or something,
say, "thank you for being patient"
Didn't realize the effect that could have on people, and instead of putting yourself down, you bring another up.
Thank you for your patience as a sign off when I am late submitting a task works wonders
Its better to lose a second of your life than to lose your life in a second.
People on the road need to just slow down a little. It’ll save your life
Bored Panda reached out to Dr. Audrey Tang, a chartered psychologist and the author of "Be A Great Manager Now" and "The Leader's Guide to Mindfulness," to find out more about unsolicited advice and what to do when you get a piece of it.
Audrey suggests viewing such advice as if it were a physical gift: “just because it’s offered, it doesn’t mean we have to accept it.” For this reason, the psychologist urges us to “never upset yourself over the opinion of someone from whom you have not asked advice.”
Moreover, Audrey believes that not all unsolicited advice is useless, especially “if it has come from someone who has experience within the subject matter.”
She said that if advice comes with examples, or evidence, or ways in which you can further research the area in question, it can indeed be very helpful. “This is true of forums too,” she added.
Clean as you cook, dishes right away, and 10 minutes every day walking through the house picking things up/organizing.
So much better than hours of cleaning on one day
My mom does this. It's much more productive and you have a cleaner work space
Compliment people behind their backs. Sounds stupid but works wonders.
Just don't drink today. Surely you can do that. Then just repeat.
It's been 19+ years.
However, as a psychologist, Audrey doesn't give advice unless it is sought (and paid for), “mainly because in most unsolicited contexts, there is no time to get into depth with any issue and I wouldn't want any form of misunderstanding on either part.”
The psychologist explains that unsolicited advice may have come because “someone thought it was solicited.” Other times, it comes from people “who are bored, or who want a distraction from dealing with things going on in their own lives.”
Audrey gave an example: “Rather than working on my own marriage, I might focus on giving relationship advice to others,” some think.
Directly expressing my needs instead of hinting.
Being Aspergic I totally get this. Do not hint to me, I. WILL. JUST. NOT. GET. IT. EVER. You have to tell me directly what you want/need etc.
On my wedding day my Grandmother said to me "Never do anything around the house that you don't plan on doing for life". At the time I thought it was a terrible advice. When I was mowing the lawn at 7 1/2 months pregnant I got what she meant.
Cleanining your house before leaving for more than 5 days. Nothing is better than coming to a clean house.
Another theory on why some of us are so drawn to throwing out advice here and there comes down to the evolutionary aspect of humans living in communities.
Audrey explained: “We are fundamentally social creatures—in the past, we would have had to rely on our society to keep us safe—so we are likely to have an awareness of how to 'fit in' and a sense of unpleasantness when we do not.”
If we’re at odds with others, we may feel guilt. The psychologist summed up that “this can drive us to 'make comments' if it looks like someone is not fitting in.”
My grandfather told me this and I never understood it until I had my own place. Always buy the cheap tools at first and if you wear it out/break it then you use it enough to justify getting a nicer more expensive one.
I always buy the midrange tools, and never buy the cheap tools -- they don't work as well (cheap wrenches have looser tolerances and don't fit bolts well, screwdrivers slip out of screw heads, etc). It's not that much more money and well worth it in better usability. My brother broke a finger once with a cheap wrench, he was trying to get a stubborn bolt off his lawnmower, the wrench broke and his hand slammed into the side of the lawnmower.
Pay bills, SAVE, then spend.
people dont seem to do this anymore but they should to be financially sound
When you’re stressed, make a to do list. I was always like, I KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO GET DONE I JUST CANT DO IT ALL. But if you write it down it doesn’t have to all live in your brain and you can focus.
you also get some happy-hormones when you scratch a thing of your list. Gives you energy for the next tasks
Leftie loosie, rightie tightie
Since I learned this, I constantly use it^^ Used to be a clutz who forgets which direction unscrews stuff^^
Just shut up and listen. Actually listen.
Too many people don't know how to just listen without thinking that they have to add to the conversation. No just stop. You don't have to add anything. You are not helping. You aren't even paying attention to wait is being said because you are thinking of what you can say.
And a lot of people are talking without thinking. Just count their "Ehh"s "Hmm"s" and "Ahum"s
If it takes less than 5 minutes, do it immediately
I do so much less housework on weekends because of this
Yes, as my pilates instructor famously says, "it's only five minutes of your life!"
Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.
Practice gratitude. Grateful people are happy people.
My mom told me to spend good money on the things that separate you from the ground: tires, shoes, mattress. I finally bought good not cheap shoes and life was SIGNIFICANTLY better. They last so much longer and my back and posture improved too. She’s not wrong about tires and a mattress either
I'm overweight and I have problems in one of my feet from wearing cheap shoes to work all the time. I finally shelled out about $80 for a good pair of work shoes and, good gods, the difference it made. My hips, my knees, my ankles, my back, and my heel all felt SO much better. I used to blame it all on my weight, and while it still gives me problems, having proper support really makes all the difference
If you dont have anything nice to say, dont say nothing at all.
People dont wanna hear "Eww, yuck, you like that?" When referring to someone's food for example.
This too shall pass. On those days when I just feel like I can't take it I think of that, and I know tomorrow will be different. Someone once told me, "tomorrow may not be better, but at least it'll be different." In a strange way that too is comforting.
There was a story where a king (Akbar) asked his advisor (Birbal) what slogan he should write in the entrance of the palace that makes people happy and sad at the same time. He chose "This too shall pass," because it reminds a sad person that better things are on their way, yet prevents a person from being too indulgent in their happiness.
My therapist told me the next time I'm going to have a panic attack to just give in and tell myself it was ok to have one . I told him he was crazy. After a couple tries it started working to my amazement. I haven't had a panic attack in 3 years
Yeah, if more people had been given permission to feel okay to panic or be scared there would be less anxiety and fewer panic attacks all round.
If you have body image issues, find one even very small thing you like about yourself. My starting point was a freckle in the middle of my left hand. Whenever you’re feeling bad about yourself, remember you like that ONE thing. Find a new small thing to like about once a month if you can. It becomes easier to find things, and eventually easier to like yourself, in my experience. Thanks for that advice, Mom.
This was kind of how I figured I like my husband before we got together. He was nice to talk to, but it wasn't love at first sight. But when I got to know him, I noticed detail after detail, until I finally came to the realisation (didn't take me long, though, to be honest). And now it's been 2+10 years, and counting, that we're together. Glad it didn't take me too long to find out how I feel. ♡
Be yourself.
The less you care what people think and the more real you are, the more people start to like you.
"Your gums bleed when you floss because you don't floss enough"
Turns out if you floss enough, your gums won't be inflamed so they don't bleed when you floss
Smiling at people. You can get a lot just from a simple smile.
Keeping my shoulders back. It was a suggestion I saw for preventing panic/anxiety. Idk what it is, but when your shoulders are in that position it gives some strange feeling of control. I also read somewhere that during panic attacks the body basically wants to curl into fetal position for protection, so I feel like focusing on keeping your arms down and shoulders back is a conscious way to go against that and stay grounded in reality. Works for me, could work for you too.
Go to the bathroom first thing after having sex.
This is especially important for females as not cleaning after intercourse can cause UTI’s.
Fill your tank all the way up instead of a little at a time.
I thought the reason people did this was because they didn't have enough money to fill the tank, so this one could be written as "Have more money"
"Have more money" -- that's excellent advice. I'll try to follow that.
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This doesn’t explain why but I think it’s because when your tank runs close to empty a lot, your fuel lines pick up silt and gunk and they can become blocked. But some folk just can’t afford to fill right up so they top up before they run out, of and when they have the money.
It's actually more economical to have a half empty tank than a full one; it's all to do with the extra weight of the fuel. Sorry, I'm not a physicist, google this for a better explanation.
Unless your car has a 10.000 litre tank, the difference in weight between a full and half emty tank won't noticably affect fuel efficiency.
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Too early in the morning and I was thinking: yes I should fill my spiritual / emotional tank more often to the brim instead of here a little, there a little taking time to properly fill up my brain tank. As for my gas tank in the car: small car, visiting my family at the other side of the country usually I need 1 full tank per round trip and I hate searching for gas stations in places I do not know, I always make sure my tank is full before I leave, or drive by the nearest station close to home to fill up before continuing the trip.
I thought it actually costs less filling like 1/4 or 1/2 at a time coz over time the difference in weight makes the fuel go just a Lil longer... no?
In theory I agree, but if all you have is 5 bucks and you're on E, what else ya gonna do.
To add to this, I have a full tank and top it up every payday no matter how much I use. Sometimes I only put 5 litres in, but I always have a full tank for emergencies.
ive been doing this from the start, That way you only need to spend money on gas once every one or one/half month
This a common misconception with some interesting mathematics behind it. If you need to save time, fill all the way. If you need to save money, fill half way. The former is because you have to stop less often and save time. The latter is because half a tank weighs less and your car uses less fuel. Read it here: https://theconversation.com/can-you-save-money-at-the-bowser-by-only-half-filling-the-fuel-tank-36260
Keep your tank at least half full. Any emergency or situation, be ready to drive anywhere -- hospital, police, friends/parents house. Don't make your first stop at a gas station!
I have a more rational way of doing things. Only ever have half a tank of fuel. Why pay extra to lug around an extra 20 kilos of liquid that I don't actually need yet? It'll only be a detriment to my fuel economy. Honestly though, I should have been thinking of fuel economy when I bought a Type-R......now I look like an idiot!
As someone that lives in an area with a lot of earthquakes, I was always taught to never let me tank go under 3/4 of a tank. I don't always follow that, but its sound advice.
This means you'll have to go less often to the station and you can plan better you expenses if you use your car on routine basis.
I’m a great believer in only putting £10-£20 in my tank at anyone time if some Pratt hits your car and writes it off you have not only lost the car but the money in the fuel tank and that is a cost you certainly won’t get from the insurance company and the amount of fuel that the recovery/ insurance companies gain taking out of your car before it gets scrapped is huge or the next owner gets when your car is sold at auction to be repaired
This. It prevents corrosion because there's less room for humidity and less exposed metal (if you have a metal gas tank). Also, fill a bit at a time for long enough and you have a puddle at the bottom of the tank which can cause all kinds of weird issues when driving (bucking, crap acceleration and so on). Fill the tank and the fuel can absorb more moisture in a way that doesn't cause issues (lower concentration).
Two things. 1 The less fuel in the tank the more condensation forms in the tank (water in fuel). 2 The less fuel in the tank the hotter the fuel pump runs. C The more fuel in the tank, the further you can drive if you have an emergency.
If you frequently run with less than a quarter tank, you risk burning out your fuel pump early and it is an expensive fix. The fuel pump is IN the gas tank and the gas lubricates it.
This isn't a "Have more money" idea. When you make the effort to scrimp enough to finally fill the tank, you have an investment in your tank, as well as better security from point A to point B. Then, over the next week, you also save time from stopping repeatedly at the gas station. You also conserve fuel because that is fewer stops (which use more fuel when you have to restart), cause less crud in the engine from starting and stopping (saving on repairs) and, a more full tank keeps the impurities at the bottom from clogging the works up (again, saving on repairs). Beside all those great benefits, the reduced stress and added peace of mind in immeasurably valuable.
I never understood the idjits who just put in a few $ worth of gas. You went to all the anxiety of knowing you might run out, you got to the station, you waited for a pump, you got out, and had to go through all the BS of trying to pay, whether you are waiting inline to pay or fiddling with the 29 questions when you pay by card. You uncapped the gas tank, and choose the blend of gas. Why not save all the time and drama and fill the darned thing up??? Then you don't have to worry about it for a week, month, whatever!
My dad always told me to never let the tank get below half full. At 66 I still don't.
I have a problem with this one because of a fuel leak at the top of the tank. I only go %90 unless I know I am about to burn a significant amount before it goes back in the garage.
I thought that a full tank means carrying more weight in your car which makes it less economical. I only ever have half a tank most of the time.
Actually I'm not sure that this advice can relate to everyone. If you fill your tank to the brim but drive very little the gas/diesel in it will turn bad after about a month or so. I drive very little and if I fill my tank to the max takes me about a month and a half to burn it all.
This only applies if you have biogas/biodiesel, i understand the US has this problem.
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Why ? the only thing this saves is a little time at the gas station, so instead of going every 1-2 months i would go every 3-6 months, today's gasoline with all the additives can deteriorate over time. And if your tank is full you probably don't drive as frugally (efficiently), but if you live 50 miles from the closest gas station, sure fill up all the way.
If you fill up your tank, you go to the gas station once every 3 to 6 months? Dude, you don't need a car, then. Do you even drive?
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If you drive around with a full tank, you use more fuel because of the weight of the fuel you're carrying. I only fill the tank for long journeys, keep it topped up to quarter - half full the rest of the time.
Nah, the way you drive has a much bigger impact on fuel consumption. Aggressive braking and accelerating, revving are much much worse than the few pounds you add by filling up.
Load More Replies...Life is really much easier if you clean your workplace/room. I clean my room often and it makes me feel calm and clears my head.
Subjective advice, no doubt. For some it might work, for others not so much.
I'm not great at this one, but "don't look for a happy life, look for happy moments".
Ooh, no, not really. Happy moments can be good, but ones like buying new clothes for the excitement will fade away quickly and leave you needing another fix. Wave goodbye to your money and you might become less financially secure. You need to look for profound happiness, so that you will feel good about your life in general. For this, do hobbies, be creative, help people, exercise. This is when you will notice the change within yourself.
Using a stool to lift my feet into a squatting position to poo. What a difference!
Unpack your suitcase the second you get home.
Nope, don’t think I will ever do this lol. When I get home that is one of the last things I want to do.
Not taking your cellphone into bed with you. After awhile you will sleep much easier without the distraction and blue light shining straight into your eyes before bed.
If you have nausea, suck on an ice cube. The nausea will go down.
If you're starting to get the pre-puke mouthful of saliva, stand over the sink and spit it out. Keep spitting if it keeps accumulating. This prevents me from puking 99% of the time. The sink is better than spitting in the toilet, as the mere proximity and close up view makes my stomach think it's ok to let loose. The bathroom sink is far enough away yet close enough to the toilet for the rare time spitting doesn't work.
Befriend those little people, the janitor, the delivery guy, the server, and the dishwasher.
You never know when they might pull your ass out of the fire.
Don't suffer future pain. In other words, worrying about all the stuff that could happen stops you from doing things and worse, turns potential pain into actual worry and mental pain.
There's a Dutch saying "People suffer most from the suffering they fear. " ( De mens lijdt het meest van het lijden dat hij vreest.)
In regards to dating: "You'll find someone when you're not looking".
Sounds like total bs, but it's proven true for me a few times.
Teacher here.
When you're texting/emailing between colleagues, friends, etc. don't put anything you wouldn't say to their face in writing. If you have it in writing they've got something physical they can hold against you or gossip about.
Even if the door is closed, speak quietly if you're going to vent. Your coworkers can probably hear you clear down the hallway if you're bitching after-hours. Take it down to a whisper.
CC your admin on every email asking a professional question to anybody else or in any conversation in which the slightest bit of conflict could arise.
If you don't trust one of your coworkers, don't say a word to them beyond basic greetings. Trust your gut. Sit quietly in the lounge at lunch.
If you think something is wrong, speak up. You probably aren't the only one to notice and your voice does make a difference.
And as another teacher - if you're going through all of that at work, you should probably look for another job. I sure did.
Faking confidence to become more confident.
But don’t try and look too confident or you might come off as arrogant
Before I do anything I ask myself, “Would an idiot do that?” And if the answer is yes, I do not do that thing.
Exercising helping with depression and anxiety. It's not a cure all and I needed to be on meds to get to the point where I could do it, but it really does help me. I've been off my meds now for over a year (under doctors supervision don't stop taking your meds unless you run it by your doctor) and when I can't exercise for a few days, I can feel the depression and anxiety coming back. Now instead of going through a million things I did wrong in my head, I run for 3 miles or lift some heavy stuff.
When you're trying to fall asleep and your mind is racing thinking about a million things at once, making it impossible to fall asleep, do this:
1.Pick a letter of the alphabet
2.Count to 8
3.When you get to 8, think of a word that starts with your letter
4.Count to 8 again
5.Think of a different word that starts with that letter
6.Repeat ad nauseum
You'll distract your brain and bore it to sleep.
I had a problem looking at people’s shoulders while they were speaking instead of their face. I told a coworker my problem who said “well just look at their ears, nobody can tell the difference”. Life changing, seriously, no one can tell the difference.
This advice totally works. However I'm always annoyed by the fact that we cling so much to generalised ideas like "those who don't maintain eye contact are dishonest/untrustworthy". I'm sure that's true to some. But for example more introverted people can listen/pay attention a lot better if they are not forced to stare at the one speaking. Others are simply shy and are more comfortable looking away. There are also overactive people who feel "trapped" if they just have to stare and not do anything, they can have a better conversation while fumbling/fidgeting with something. We're not all the same.
Giving small compliments to people right when you think it makes both them and you happy. Think that girls skirt is cute? Tell her!
But be careful you don't come out as a creep. Our society is not wired for gratuitous kindness, unfortunately.
That Forest app. It grows a tree for up to 2 hours and during that time, you can't access any apps you think will distract you. If you wanna open a distracting app, you'd have to kill your tree. All your trees, dead or alive, appear in a little forest. I have always had trouble motivating myself to focus on homework and not look at Reddit/YouTube, but this app is just enough guilt to not open them. I haven't killed anything yet and I'm surprised at how much I can care about a small virtual tree. People told me about it and I just completely assumed that I'd never use it or it wouldn't work for me considering how distractible I am, but it works wonders
As someone with a phobia of needles my entire life, I finally (30 years in) had a nurse tell me to ask for a spare alcohol pad and sniff it right as I’m about to get jabbed. She said the harsh smell is enough of a distraction to keep your mind off the needle. I was there for a flu shot, so I got to try it out right away; I wasn’t expecting much, but it worked! Ive been doing it ever since, and have no trouble with shots or blood draws now, which is huge for someone they’ve triggered panic attacks and near fainting in, before.
Celebrate the small things in life because if you wait for the big things, you might be waiting for a long time.
One of my mom's fave authors Erma Bombeck said when she had a serious illness, She wondered why she was saving that candle or bottle of wine for a special occasion, When she could have made any day special by sharing the thing she was saving.
You're not hungry you're thirsty!
I would eat a big meal and wonder why I still felt hungry.. It is because I wasn't drinking a glass of water with my meal. Now if I notice I am hungry after eating normal portions I have a glass of water and wait 5 minutes before I continue eating.
Put on your own oxygen mask first.
You can’t help anyone effectively if you’re not OK yourself. I was always self sacrificing - to the point of being hospitalized for exhaustion. I’d always been told to give till it hurts and then push through the pain to give more, and so that’s what feels natural, and anything else is pure selfishness.
A great therapist told me that I’m good at helping but I have to be at least at a baseline before I’m effective, and, oh, it makes everything so much better.
If you want to write a novel, just start writing. Don’t plan, just get words on paper.
Flip a coin and choose the one you're hoping for. I don't even have to flip a coin now and I'm way more decisive!
If you feel like quitting then just tell yourself that the story doesn't end this way. Sounds cliche, but you decide when your story ends when you stop trying. You may fail, but you will not fail today. Don't let the story end this way.
Spend a lot of money on a mattress, they said
It'll be great, they said.
Couldn't afford it until I bought the house, but damn if they weren't all absolutely right. 10/10 would splurge again, and will in a few years.
IDK -- I bought one of those relatively cheap "mattresses in a box" memory foam things and I've never been happier.
Going to therapy.
I'm a guy. I'm emotionally stable, so I thought it was a pointless idea. Went with my ex-gf, in order to work out problems in our relationship (mostly on her end). I learned so much about myself and got some amazing life advice. 10/10
I agree that therapy is great, but adding "mostly on her end" makes it sound like the therapy didn't fully hit home...
Turn it off and turn it back on
Don't ever try that if you are doing data recovery or anything of that sort. Cause it will never come back "on".
Putting cold water on freshly shaved skin will make it so you don't get ingrown hairs.
Some of the best advice I've ever received.
Leave your shoes by the door.
Sounds obvious to people from certain cultures or climates but it was never part of my routine growing up. I had some asian room mates and was astonished at the knock on effects this little habit has for cleanliness and comfort.
Once begun is half done.
I am a terrible procrastinator by nature. I have totally done the "well now it 5:02 so I have to wait until 6:00 to start cleaning" and I like making things seem like Soo much work that I can't possibly do them unless I take time off of work. In reality if you just start a project without thinking about it you can get everything done in like fifteen minutes a day and it's never really that bad.
So True! Best thing for me to come from quarantine was that wake up call, that I didn't need more time, I needed to make a list on my dry erase board, even little things to keep focus. Although sometimes Netflix & Bored Panda make it a challenge ;)
Give up caffeine to help with anxiety. I gave it up to help with my vertigo years after this was first suggested to me, but it did help. I'm still anxious but I'm not reacting to it like a hummingbird on cocaine anymore.
I switched from drinking coffee to drinking hot tea. Best choice I made. Tea is much more healthier and I don't seem to need more than one cup a day as I did with coffee.
Do the practice problems in the textbook.
You think it's a total waste until you actually try it.
Changing something about your appearance to gain confidence/self-esteem (getting a haircut, going to the gym). I thought it was a cop out piece of advice and then I got a haircut and I felt so comfortable in my skin and at peace that I remember the exact moment it happened.
I'll never forget the day I finally decided to get my hair cut in a pixie cut. For YEARS, my mom had drilled it into me that my hair HAD to be at least chin length, but I'd always wanted it shorter and had been too scared to try it. One day when my dad and I had to run for groceries, I ran into the salon across the street because I needed a trim and I told the lady to cut it all off. I dyed it later that day and I got SO many compliments for it, but more importantly I was SO HAPPY with it. Do the look that's right for you and that YOU want to do.
Choose your reaction. It’s a thing from “7 Habits of a Highly Effective People”. What it boils down to is, nobody can actually “piss you off”. You have to react in a pissed off manner to the situation. It doesn’t always work because things like a death in the family are going to make you sad or whatever. It has helped me at work though to realize that no matter how stupid the person I am dealing with is, or how nasty they are being, I can choose to not go to that level. I can choose to stay factual and deal in logic. What do I know though?
Don't go too far with this one. Controlling your emotions is also repressing them. They start to build up. That's how burnouts happen.
Whenever meeting a new person always assume that they know something you don’t
Fans on my old MacBook died. Saw a YouTube video that said to simply take your fist and bang on the part of the computer that housed the fans.
Thinking it was a troll, I gave it a shot out of pure frustration, and lo and behold, they purred back to life and I never had another issue with them for the rest of the time that I owned that computer.
"There's what you need, there's what you want, and there's what you can't afford."
My Dad says this all the time, and I never though of it as useless--I just never used it. Now I have, and my money is far easier to manage.
I always think of the future: how often will I use something, how will it be in a year, 5 years. If something (clothing/shoes) is only good for one time buy cheap or borrow.
Pull up your socks. Literally. When you’re feeling flagged and weary and still have two hours left before you can go home, sit down, take off your shoes, and literally pull your socks up.
I belittled this forever until I tried it. It’s actually a nice little pick-me-up
When I was complaining about my wife for the 700th time my friend said "if she's so awful why not just divorce her." It was good advice.
It is normal to complain about your partner to friends on occasions but if you say more bad things about your partner than good then I think it’s time to re-evaluate your relationship and either go to couples therapy or seperate. I know that my hubby probably complains about me but I also know for a fact that he says great things about me to his mates.
I suffered severe insomnia for years. Someone told me I should get up an hour earlier, go for a 30 minute run in the morning, then do yoga for 15 minutes before showering and getting ready for work. Seemed ridiculous, but I decided to try it for a month.
Haven't suffered insomnia since. Have way more energy, sleep better, feel better. It's amazing.
When you're a child your parents would read you a story to help you sleep and it works. So I do that to myself. I tell myself a story. Doesn't matter what, I'm on a cruise and the captain asks me to help finding out who stole lady Whatever's diamond. I'm hiking with friends and we happen upon a little hunting cabin on a mountain. I discover that there's a squirrel family in the back garden that can speak. Just a random story, doesn't even have to think much on how it will end because I usually wouldn't get there anyway.
If you have those annoying, tiny grey balls that get stuck to clothing, use a dry razor to shave it off.
Saved so many items of clothing!
Smiling at a bully in grade school, and make it as genuinely kind as you can muster.
I had serious doubt until I did it, and watching her face become confused and horrified at the same time was priceless. She never bothered me again.
yeah... the bullies thought I was just a wise a*s. to be fair. I was. Stuffing the bully into a locker though... that really did the trick... and the irony was delicious. (for the record, he was trying to stuff my friend into a locker... and the teacher wasn't doing jack s**t because he was the star of the freshmen team. teacher was also the coach.)
Bribe yourself with fun things to do the not so fun things.
Today I was tired after work but got a little care package in the mail, so I made myself go on the 2.5 mile run I didn't want to do before I could open the package. Now I'm refreshed and happy that I did the thing I was pseudo dreading, and I have a fun care package to open.
My wife didn't think that a new car was acceptable as a bribe for mowing the lawn.
Shop at Aldi's.
My mother-in-law has been all over me for years about this. I finally buckled tonight -- and spend about half as much as I usually do on groceries. Damn it.
I'm not telling her. Ever.
Laughing so hard at your last sentence. I wish Aldi delivered. Having mobility issues in the house, shopping in-store is not an option a lot of times. I realize their limited range, lack of extras, etc is part of their "model" but it also makes it very hard for us to use them.
When you are sad eat healthy, do a lot of sport and try to take fresh air under the sun. It sounds like the typical piece of crap, but it works incredibly well. It probably is something purely chemical, so it is definetly worth a try.
When it comes to smoking cigarettes or weed it's easy to do it all the time, easy to never do it, damn hard to only do it once in a while.
I suppose it depends on how obsessive the person is. Some people are more prone to addiction than others.
Dress for success. Started wearing a suit at work and got treated with more respect as well as promotions.
At business school, we were taught: Dress for the job you want to be promoted to. It conveys that you have more potential than the job you are currently in.
Drink Water. Drink more water. Never stop drinking water
If you have a clogged nose, doing 8-10 pushups will temporarily clear it up.
Try killing roaches with soapy water in a spray bottle.
It sounds useless, but it works better than any insecticide I’ve ever tried, and it’s non-toxic and really easy to clean up.
Stick to the same sleep schedule on your days off that you follow on days when you have to be somewhere at a specific time (like school or work days).
I spent my whole life sleeping until noon on weekends, thinking I was storing sleep in some imaginary sleep bank. I recently started waking up early on weekends, and now I don't have trouble waking up when my alarm goes off during the week. Plus I have all this extra time to do stuff because I'm not sleeping all day.
Kegles. After having a baby, I stopped laughing at that advice.
Wash your dishes immediately after using them.
It really helps avoid unnecessary clutter.
The dishwasher is our clutter closet till it's loaded enough to switch it on.
Stop chasing girls. Most times now they notice me as an individual, not as someone begging for a girlfriend.
Spend an extra $5-$10 on wiper blades
And don't use them to clean your windows from the Sahara sandstorm that hit your city last night.....
For gamers, play games that have a beneficial afk element (in-game), then whenever you need to do some afk stuff spend the time it takes cleaning your house.
Started playing Black Desert Online on xbox, my house has never been cleaner and I'm doing it so regularly that It's becoming a habit and when I'm all caught up I nap.
It's like a tricked myself into taking care of me and my place with games. Easily the best life change I've made this year. I'm productive in-game, at home, and I'm well rested. 10/10 highly recommend.
For those who don't get it , here's an explanation of AFK : https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-afk-2483097. I had to look it up.
In regards to saving I was always told “Pay your bills, Pay yourself, then spend”
Pay yourself first. Then there is less money to accumulate bills. Put it in an inconvenient place so you can't take it out, even $5 a check grows. I also have 10
From a youtube video dictated by a heavily accented doctor: Unclog your nose by sitting up straight, holding your breath and tapping your nose, untapping and breathing in to about 80% of what you'd normally breathe in, exhale, and repeat for a period of about 40 seconds to a minute. The point is to get a response to where your body almost feels like it's drowning. It's tough but it clears your sniffles right up for a long while and works 90% of the time.
Then I went on to suggest it to so many people but they won't believe me or try it even if they're desperate.
My doctor told me when I feel anxious or something like that to wiggle my toes and count them for every wiggle. It is something that distracts your mind and you can do it anywhere cause it just means moving your toes.
Finish nice hot shower with 30 seconds in cold. It closes up your pores and reduces acne build up. 14 year old me really should have listened.
My dad, " dont marry that women because she has mental issues". i listened. About 3 years later i found out she was on trial for murdering her husband.
That was lucky. Although you can’t go judging all people who have mental issues. I have mental health issues and I can tell you that there is no way I would ever murder anyone.
If you make your bed in the morning, it will help you to get started on your day and make you feel better when you get ready to go to bed at night.
Don't make your bed in the morning, it's not healthy. You sweated all night in it. It needs to dry out or it will ferment. Open it wide in the morning.
Here's mine: if unsure, always assume the best about people's intentions. If you are unsure if something someone said or did to you was meant to hurt or annoy you, assume it wasn't. This will make your life a lot easier and open your eyes to the crazy amount of smoldering conflicts that are caused by nothing but misunderstandings.
I like this. I often asuume oh no what did i do to annoy so and so, when it has nothing to do with anything i did. It kinda works for that too ^-^
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The best thing I ever read was " For everything in life there's one rule: The long way is the short way." And when you really think about it it's so true. Whenever you try to rush things the result is a mess and you often have to start from scratch to get a good result. Fun fact: "The short way is the long way" is also true.
One piece of advice I would give to my younger self would be "Wear sunscreen. Always."
I don't know why you got the down votes. It's a pretty important lesson. One I should live by but don't.
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Mine : Never speak when you are angry, you will give the best speech you ever regretted...
Here's the two I've learned. Before marrying someone make sure they at least share half the interest you have. If you get upset, think; will this matter next week? I've been with my wife for almost 20 years and we rarely fight and when we do, it's not us fighting each other; it's us mad at ones family member or the others lol.
Seek to understand! you would be amazed at how this mind set changes your interactions with people.
Another one and this is the Golden Rule in life: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Basically, treat how people you wish to be treated. If you want people to treat you like an a*****e, be an a*****e. If you want people to be kind, be kind to others.
My husbands advice: don’t stress over things you can’t change, or don’t have control over. Best advice ever.
Here's mine: If you're eating ice-cream or something cold, between bites, push your tongue up to the roof of your mouth to warm it back up. This will avoid brain freezes.
Get up at the same time on your days off as your work days. Still okay to take an afternoon nap.
I forget where I heard this, but it is so helpful. If you know you are going to be late, quit rushing around and slow down. It's better to be late and composed than to be late and flustered. One that I figured out for myself: When someone cuts me off, darts in and out of traffic, or grossly exceeds the speed limit I don't get mad. Instead, I tell myself how thankful I am that where I'm going isn't important enough to need to risk my life to get there faster.
I have a trick to get rid of hiccups (I've been called a "bruja" and a "gypsy" by people that I've used it on because it works so well haha)... When you have the hiccups, have someone hold and squeeze the tips of your middle fingers (not hard but with decent amount of pressure), as they do that hold your breath and swallow three times (with the same breath). I usually wait a few more seconds (as the person squeezing the fingers) then let go. 9/10 times it works.
My tips is "Do not ever believe in something as bad luck.. except for bad deed ". Like if you believe bad luck on number 13, then your thought will quickly think any thing not usual or you not wanted as a bad luck, which worsen the problem.. But it is different with bad beed... Any bad deed will always make you get a bad deed from people
Here's mine: if unsure, always assume the best about people's intentions. If you are unsure if something someone said or did to you was meant to hurt or annoy you, assume it wasn't. This will make your life a lot easier and open your eyes to the crazy amount of smoldering conflicts that are caused by nothing but misunderstandings.
I like this. I often asuume oh no what did i do to annoy so and so, when it has nothing to do with anything i did. It kinda works for that too ^-^
Load More Replies... The best thing I ever read was " For everything in life there's one rule: The long way is the short way." And when you really think about it it's so true. Whenever you try to rush things the result is a mess and you often have to start from scratch to get a good result. Fun fact: "The short way is the long way" is also true.
One piece of advice I would give to my younger self would be "Wear sunscreen. Always."
I don't know why you got the down votes. It's a pretty important lesson. One I should live by but don't.
Load More Replies... Mine : Never speak when you are angry, you will give the best speech you ever regretted...
Here's the two I've learned. Before marrying someone make sure they at least share half the interest you have. If you get upset, think; will this matter next week? I've been with my wife for almost 20 years and we rarely fight and when we do, it's not us fighting each other; it's us mad at ones family member or the others lol.
Seek to understand! you would be amazed at how this mind set changes your interactions with people.
Another one and this is the Golden Rule in life: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Basically, treat how people you wish to be treated. If you want people to treat you like an a*****e, be an a*****e. If you want people to be kind, be kind to others.
My husbands advice: don’t stress over things you can’t change, or don’t have control over. Best advice ever.
Here's mine: If you're eating ice-cream or something cold, between bites, push your tongue up to the roof of your mouth to warm it back up. This will avoid brain freezes.
Get up at the same time on your days off as your work days. Still okay to take an afternoon nap.
I forget where I heard this, but it is so helpful. If you know you are going to be late, quit rushing around and slow down. It's better to be late and composed than to be late and flustered. One that I figured out for myself: When someone cuts me off, darts in and out of traffic, or grossly exceeds the speed limit I don't get mad. Instead, I tell myself how thankful I am that where I'm going isn't important enough to need to risk my life to get there faster.
I have a trick to get rid of hiccups (I've been called a "bruja" and a "gypsy" by people that I've used it on because it works so well haha)... When you have the hiccups, have someone hold and squeeze the tips of your middle fingers (not hard but with decent amount of pressure), as they do that hold your breath and swallow three times (with the same breath). I usually wait a few more seconds (as the person squeezing the fingers) then let go. 9/10 times it works.
My tips is "Do not ever believe in something as bad luck.. except for bad deed ". Like if you believe bad luck on number 13, then your thought will quickly think any thing not usual or you not wanted as a bad luck, which worsen the problem.. But it is different with bad beed... Any bad deed will always make you get a bad deed from people
