Luckily or not, we live on a planet full of conventional wisdom, rules, and norms that dictate how people should behave in certain situations. You know, the usual “don’t talk to shady strangers,” “don’t eat your boogers,” “look both ways before crossing the street,” and so on. They keep us from doing crazy things and getting in trouble, and they help us navigate the world in a sensible way. But what if we told you that sometimes, the best advice you could get on how to act in certain situations is the most… unconventional?
That’s where this list of weird advice comes in! Straight from Reddit, these life tips and tricks have been gathered from all corners of the world, from the wise mouths of grandfathers to people who learned precious lessons the hard way. Although most may sound odd at first, they actually have a surprising amount of truth behind them.
After careful consideration and enjoyable reading, we picked our favorite pieces of advice — all from the life experiences (and keyboards) of real people on Reddit. We promise they’re more fun than reading your horoscope every morning. It never hurts to broaden your horizons and give some new life tricks a chance, and this list of random advice is the perfect place to start. Without further ado, let’s go explore these unconventional bits of knowledge that, surprisingly, make sense!
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"My grandad lived to be 95. I asked him what the secret to a long happy life was. He told me to mind my own business."
"I tell my daughter to add the word 'yet' after anything about lacking something.
'I don't know how to play this game.' Becomes 'I don't know how to play this game yet.' That sort of thing.
It's meant to redirect negative self admonishment into a drive to grow and learn. And apparently it's sinking in, because she will say something like 'Ugh, I can't make it up this hill!' while we're out bike riding and then catch me looking at her, give a big eye roll and go '...yet!' in the exact tone you think a teenage girl would use.
Then she ends up sometimes just rage-succeeding to prove the point, it's great. She's going to be at least 3 times better than me, low as that bar may be."
"Don’t let what you can’t do get in the way of what you can do."
“It isn’t your job to always find a way to make it work. Sometimes you need to let it fail to expose the bigger issues.”
Working in the corporate world teaches you this, you have to prove to managers that it doesn't work before any action is taken...
"To really find your perfect posture, imagine a claw machine is picking you up by your head, and act that out a bit. Screaming is optional."
"Rinse your cereal bowl straight away. That stuff sets like concrete."
Ocsttiac said:
"When writing an e-mail, leave the recipient field until last."
BMLortz replied:
"And add the attachments first!"
"Two from elderly southern relatives:
Somethin’ ain’t nothin’— taking 5 minutes to workout, clean, work on a big project, etc. is better than 0 minutes. We often think we’ve got to do 2 hours of rigorous work or it doesn’t accomplish anything.
Time will pass either way—if you want to work to get better at something, accomplish a long term goal, or change careers or credentials, don’t look at the 2-5 years and think you’ll be too old. If you’re 24 and want to go to college, you’ll be 28 in four years with or without a degree regardless of what you do in that time."
When it said advice from elderly southern relatives I thought it was going to reference cows or pigs or outhouses. I was wrong! This advice sounds good (and up to date!)
"When you are really, really down, the rules of "how one does things" are out the window. Examples:
Body image issues? Shower in the dark.
Can't manage to make yourself a sandwich? Eat sandwich component out of the fridge.
Dirty laundry everywhere? Take off the laundry basket lid.
Can't talk on the phone? Make up phone persona and roleplay them. Include catchphrase.
Going to bed makes you nervous? Sleep on the couch.
Can't make up your mind about gifted clutter? Put in box, get back if you miss it, gift if not.
Brains are really, really weird. Sometimes the smallest thing can be a barrier that is impossible to overcome. Remove barrier, get through that terrible week like a well-fed, clean smelling human, build back from there."
I think one of my phone personas would be named Fat Rabbit and his catchphrase would be “Alcohol doesn’t solve problems, but neither does milk.”
"If you can't decide between two equally good options, flip a coin. If you're disappointed with your result, go with the losing side."
"If you’re in the woods, and you no longer hear subtle wildlife (i.e. birds, critters, etc.), leave. Leave immediately. Go back the way you came and do not look back.
Disclaimer: Many will think this advice pertains to the paranormal, and perhaps it does. But, the main purpose of this advice is because animals are much more in tune with their senses than we are. And if they sense danger of any kind, they’ll be the first to know and let you know. That’s why I felt it was a weird piece of advice; it’s something we don’t typically acknowledge until we’re in a situation that calls for it."
"Make your bed every day. I used to think this was bullshit advice but I started doing it and it really does help me feel more productive for the day. I also like coming home to a neatly made bed. Feels good for some reason."
For most of us, order promotes peace of mind better than chaos.
"No one thinks about you as much as you do. Meaning we’re all worried about people thinking about the tiniest embarrassing things we do, when no one really cares. It gave me freedom to take on more challenges and not worry about failure."
I know they don't care about me, but what if they still noticed that tiny embarrassing thing I did ages ago?
"Don't be cheap with things that hold you off the ground (shoes, beds and tires.)"
ChasingAlnilam said:
"If you can't fight the fear, do it scared.
Got me through a lot of anxiety."
dramaticFlySwatter replied:
"I tell myself my increased heart rate and racing thoughts are just signs that my body is priming itself to allow me to do something I didn't know I could do.
I used to think they were signs to quit, but they're really an ignition sequence."
"Even the people who love you can hold you back. It ain't being nasty, they just don't want to lose you or see you get hurt. They wanted the best for you without realizing their idea of what's best ain't necessarily that."
See tip #10. People don’t think about you that much. Nobody is holding you back they just care about themselves.
RainingRetro said:
"If you need to remember something, write it 3x or say it out loud 3x.
Always weird when you repeat something verbally 3x, especially names."
Lady-finger replied:
"Similarly, if you want to make sure others remember something, tell them three times.
Tell them what you're going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you told them."
My friend and I played a memory game 10 hours ago. I remember the order of everything that we said. Pizza-pasta-coriander-basil-mint-chutney-pani puri-milk
"When someone tells you about their problem, just repeat what they said in your words. That person will like you more as a result. Works every time and everyone can do it."
"A coworker told me that when someone has the hiccups you tell them "you're not a fish."
The amount of times this has worked has convinced me she's a witch. I have texted her at least a half-dozen times whenever it worked.
At one point while I had the hiccups and asked a friend to tell me I'm not a fish. Worked."
"For all my adhd’ers or other who struggle with executive function, do chores while waiting. Have something in the oven? Let’s see how much laundry you can fold before the timer goes off. Microwave? I bet you can empty the dishwasher in 90 seconds. On a phone call? Pop in those earbuds and let’s tidy while we talk. I get so hung up on Waiting Mode™️, and the novelty of trying to accomplish a small task during that interim feels a bit like a deadline pressure, which is basically the only thing that motivates me. Tricking my brain into a mini productive panic is startlingly effective."
Thank you so much! Made me aware that I do, at times, do this and should focus more intentionally on it!
"If it's stupid but it works, then it's not stupid."
"If you’re really shy or struggle with holding conversations or being social just ask questions.
This works in three ways as 1. the other person will be doing most of the talking, 2. they also leave the conversation with a positive feeling because most people enjoy talking about themselves and 3. It gives the sense that someone is interested in them - bonus positive feelings about your interaction
I’m an extroverted introvert - I dislike social contacts but the nature of my job requires ongoing interaction and being an only child has always required me to make an effort or be on my own. This tactic usually works for me and people are always surprised when I say I’m actually super introverted."
"My wife changed my world a while back when dealing with a bad attitude from my son. She simply asked, 'What do you think is going to come from this?' I apply that to most things I do now."
"There was a guy I met at a family friendly pub once, he was busking and he had a straw sunhat, and mismatched socks. He chatted to my family and came to learn I was deaf and wrote me a letter that says, "Sometimes it's better to be deaf, because the world isn't listening." And for some reason that's always stuck with me."
LeskoLesko said:
"Stressed, upset, panic attack, ennui?
Put an ice cube in your hand. Move it around your hand until it slowly melts. It takes about 5 minutes.
Primary Effect: the cold on your skin grabs your brain's attention. You stop thinking about what was stressing you out and feel present in the moment.
Secondary Effect: the cold cools your blood, which goes into your heart and slows down the beating. As your heart beat slows to maintain your body heat, your lungs breathe more slowly as well. It forces you to breathe, which calms you down.
After 5 minutes of this, you will feel much calmer, if slightly drippy."
caca_milis_ replied:
"Adding to this - one a colleague told me about.
A bottle of bubbles - blowing the bubbles (in theory) will help you regulate your breathing, and then you can focus on the colors/shapes of the bubbles."
"Failure is ALWAYS an option.
The difference between science and messing around is writing it down.
If nothing you do matters, all that matters is what you do."
"The stupider you think you look while dancing, the better other people think you are at it. It turns out, it's all about confidence, and nothing says confident like, "I bet I look stupid, but I don't give a f*ck". Thanks Mr. Drees. that was great advice."
There are some supremely funny YouTube videos of people following this advice.
BMLortz said:
"If looking for something in a low light environment, try to use your peripheral vision.
I read about it in an old WWII manual about aerial combat at night. It has something to do with how eyes work.
It has helped me many times over the years. For finding stuff in a darkened room, or outside in a field at night, not aerial combat."
meh679 replied:
"Also a great trick if you're into astronomy and trying to find a faint star."
Do dinosaurs have Night vision? Hold my beer, I'll be back in a second
"Counterintuitive maybe, but it helped my anxiety immensely: in general, no one cares about you, what you’re doing, or gives you a second thought once you’re out of their sight.
It really helped me to stop being self conscious all the time in public."
Danglebort said:
"'Sucking at something is the first step to being sorta good at something.'
Honestly, it's deflated the embarrassment of making mistakes when learning new things.
It's OK to suck at something on your way to okayness."
double0craven replied:
"It’s okay to not be good at your hobby."
"My mother always said "Go back to basics" whenever I was struggling mentally. I disregarded it for years but now I live by it. I only utilise this way of living during desperate "survival" times, but it's amazing advice.
Basically in other words; focus on what matters.
If I was in a major depressive state (can barely function), it would mean don't feel guilty about simply surviving until you're back on your feet. Just do what you have to do and get through the day. During my manic states, it would mean focus on what matters and don't fly off the handles.
It was practical advice whilst simultaneously empathizing with me. I always dismissed it because she kept saying it and I thought it was just a cop out but I've since realised it's some of the best advice for anyone that's struggling to maintain their sanity during chaotic (or seemingly chaotic) times.
P.S Basics might include getting out of bed, having a shower, eating some lunch and drinking some water, maybe try to enjoy a coffee, if you're up to it maybe try and clean the kitchen and/or do a little bit of laundry. Even if you just get done the bare minimum and then crawl back into bed that's a job well done because you made it through the day."
I live by that last sentence. I'm in recovery, and my sponsor once told me that if my kids are fed and I'm sober when my head hits the pillow, it was a good day. That's always stuck with me.
Amy-Paradise said:
"Don’t beat yourself up forever. Beat yourself up once then move on. Mr. Homer Simpson."
I_Am_Ace_Balthazar replied:
"My personal favorite -
'Well excuse me for having enormous flaws that I don't work on!'"
Yeah we should all take advice from Homer Simpson and Peter Griffin that will turn out Jim fine dandy
"Be open. Be open about how you feel and say what you think. Some of your friends will become even closer friends. Some won't, but you will grow as a person. Also most people will be nicer to you. I've become happier since I started talking. Still I have my ups and downs but over all there is an upgoing line."
Gurkeprinsen said:
"Don't give excuses unless they ask for it.
I.e if you are late for work, just say that you are late. Not why you are late."
Drunk_Scottish_King replied:
"Never volunteer more information than is needed to get through the situation. Sometimes you’ll just make things worse by Moving their focus to something they didn’t even know about.
Ie: “sorry I’m late to the meeting, I was trying to help (coworker) finish up their presentation.”
Boss: “what?? (Coworker) told me they submitted that last week!”
Now you’re late AND got your coworker in a jam."
Related: Don’t give reasons when you tell someone “No.” Then they can’t pick apart your reasons.
ThaMuffMango said:
"If you want to buy something, wait 24 hours and if you still want to buy it afterwards then buy it. This has really cut my impulse buying down and has made saving money extremely easy."
CreativeZeros replied:
"Personally I calculate the item based on hours needed to work and try to visualize if me working those hours for it is worth it."
I do something I call “window shopping” which is where I let myself have some time browsing around an online store and adding stuff to my cart, but then I close the tab before checking out. If it’s something I REALLY DO WANT, I can always come back to the internet and check out… but the vast majority of the time, just having /pretended/ to go shopping is satisfying and way cheaper.
"'You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.'
-Benjamin Mee, We Bought a Zoo"
A hero is not a hero all the time. It is what you do in the twenty seconds that makes you a hero. After that you are a normal person again and usually think what you did anyone would do, but that is not necessarily true.
"Blinking twice when reading info from textbooks to sort of mimic photographic memory. Works for me for some reason."
Typical-me- said:
"From my 7 year old daughter… I still laugh about it today.
If you’re ever in an awkward situation with someone or need to just go away- you could always pretend to choke on something. I don’t know where this came from but it’s funny AND it works. You just run away to get a glass of water."
DroidChargers replied:
"So just pretend like I'm choking then leave work and go home, got it."
"'Anger and remorse are shadow companions, with remorse always a step behind.' I took control over my temper issues by reminding me of this one-liner. Hope this works for you, too!"
"'Do it anyway.'
Don't think you'll succeed? Do it anyway. Don't feel like going to the gym? Do it anyway. Don't want to stick to the diet? Do it anyway. Don't feel like getting out of bed/taking care of your basic needs? Do it anyway. Don't think you'll like it? Do it anyway. Scared of embarrassing yourself? Do it anyway. Think the attractive person will reject you if you ask them out? Do it anyway.
Obviously don't apply this to things that put you in harm's way. But I've been lucky enough to live an interesting (in a good way) life based on this approach."
Do I wanna get out of bed in the middle of the night to get water but I'm warm and cozy? DO IT ANYWAYS!
Marnett05 said:
"'Make them tell you no.'
It's great when you're not sure if you should apply for a job, go for a promotion or a raise, or do something you're afraid of. Don't be so worried about getting told no or failing, you'll surprise yourself."
FrancistheBison replied:
"Related: don't argue against yourself. Make sure you're advocating for yourself and don't help the opposite side.
This can be relevant for such dumb scenarios as a company messed something up and maybe you could have done x, y or z to prevent it but ultimately it's still the company's responsibility to fix it. Don't go in and apologize for x, y, or z. Just ask them to fix it."
My mum always said, if you don't ask you don't get and the worst they can say is no. However, the exception to this was when we went to the supermarket with her and she would say "if you ask, you won't get". Mass of contradictions my mother.
PB-JAM said:
"It’s only embarrassing if you’re embarrassed. The older I get, the more I understand this one."
corran450 replied:
"'If you’re not willing to look stupid, nothing good is ever gonna happen to you' - Dr. Gregory House"
So when I feel embarrassed for no reason I'm actually making it embarrassing for real. Ok, noted
NNakedLunchDate said:
"Fail quickly, as in: If your plan may not succeed, better to find out next week than next year. Helped me quit a suffocating job and dig into my own business 10/10."
eddiewachowski replied:
"I've learned this after becoming a father. Not because I'm failing parenting but because I watch kids fail, fail, fail some more and then succeed. It's amazing how shamelessly and effortlessly they fail and keep going."
angiethedragon said:
"This is one I came up with to explain my self esteem:
'You can't sad your ugly away.'
I woke up one day after years of torment, a lot of which from myself, and realized that being upset about how I look won't make me any prettier, so I may as well just own my looks. I can fix what I can but being upset about it ain't gonna do shit, may as well love my 'fugly' self.
Loving myself when I felt no one else would, and being happy and enjoying life despite it all, it really is the greatest revenge I could come up with."
nap83 replied:
"My therapist told me;
'Would you befriend someone that would talk to you the way you talk to yourself? Be your own friend first & things will be kinder.'"
The world today places outsized importance on appearance. Sincere kindness to others trumps good looks every time.
"Wash your clothes with vinegar to remove smells: if you forget wet clothes in the washing machine for too long they'll smell like mildew. Washing them again doesn't really take the smell away, for as many times as you try.
Wash them again with ~1 liter of white vinegar (no detergent, do NOT use balsamic vinegar or whatever), and somehow the end result won't smell to mildew nor vinegar, just like pure clean washed clothes. I expected the vinegar smell to remain but those clothes were a write-off on my book, so I tried anyway and they came out perfectly."
"Drumming your fingers on the back of your head, just behind your ears, works surprisingly well for quieting tinnitus. It only works temporarily but still offers some relief."
"You have to toe the line between working hard, and hardly workin’"
"Sniffing rubbing alcohol to quell nausea. I thought it was dumb but it actually works pretty well."
"Vicks VapoRub on the soles of your feet when you have a chest cold with coughing & congestion. A pulmonary nurse told me that when I was very sick. Turns out, it works!"
Same with rubbing garlic slices on your bare feet. Your skin is the door to the rest of your body.
"When walking among other people, there's a trick to avoid the annoying little 'who's gonna pass on what side' dance, where both of you go left, then both go right and then you finally pass:
Pick a direction and aim your face towards your intended direction, like look to the left or right of them, clearly turning your head in a single direction.
This is a clear signal to people so there's no confusion as to which way you want to pass them.
I haven't had that annoying dance since."
Also, point yourself to the side that traffic drives on in your country. That is usually people’s default. (IE, choose to walk on the right side of the corridor when in US, left side when in England…)
"For a perfect high five look at the elbow of the other person. 100% of the time it'll be a spot on high five."
"I’ve been doing this for years, and don’t really tell many people, but it works great for me.
When I’m trying to sleep, I create a movie scene in my head.
I’ve been doing the same scene for years, and just focusing on the details. Some old school martial artist man walking down a path, rain, clothes and weapons constantly change. Approached by someone, or multiple men. Constantly changes.
Fight ensues, and also, constantly changing. Could be with hands, not drawing sword, could instantly kill everyone, whatever. I find that focusing in on all the details and getting lost in this story puts me to sleep faster than I realize. It’s crazy to me, but I’ve never made it more than five minutes in. What I’ve detailed is all I’ve covered before I’m out cold."
"Jake the dog said, 'to live life, you need problems. If you get everything you want the minute you want it, what's the point of living?'"
"I heard this in an interview once. Stay Humble so you don't have to be humbled."
THGilmore said:
"People don’t always remember what you say but how you make them feel."
Guilhermedidi replied:
"Here in Brazil once I read something like this: 'Your neighbors won't remember that you said 'good morning', but try to say 'f you' and they'll remember it for the rest of the day.'"
Commenter said:
"To improve your posture, pretend that you are shooting lasers out of your nipples and trying to shoot people in the head."
UpDoor replied:
"LMAO when I was trying to train myself to get better confidence and stop looking at the ground whenever I walk/talk etc., I would take walks and imagine that there are "headlights coming out of my tits" and I needed to shine the way."
No matter how good my posture, if that's where the lazors come from.....I may get your abs.....not heads
limegreenbunny said:
"Get someone to warm to you by asking them for a small favor - not asking to do something for them, but asking them to do something for you. I have no idea why this works, but it does."
soline replied:
"It makes them feel needed and important at least for you."
"Is it a destiny you want or is it a destiny that was picked out for you?
It helped me figure out who I wanted to be as a person, and who I didn't want to be.
Thank you Uncle Iroh."
"If you feel overwhelmed, take the Superman pose in front of a mirror. You bomb the torso, relax your shoulders, put your hands on your hips and spread your legs a little bit. And smile. Stay like that a little bit every morning and it should improve your confidence."
And wear your underwear on top of your pants for the day, just like Superman.
"Do Jazz hands in front of wasps and they'll fly away. You'll look like an Idiot, but its working
Don't wave your hands like a maniac, I'm talking about calm Jazz hands. I learned that they'll focus on your fingertips and get confused, so they'll leave you alone. Don't kick a hive and try it, its working for a small amount of wasps.
Also I'm from Europe, so I don't know for big murder wasps from other countries. And no its not working for mosquitos."
I bet it makes the average human bystander walk away quickly as well.
"While walking with a full glass or tray of water, try walking naturally and don't pay attention to the water. Your natural gait is even and level (assuming you don't have one leg shorter than the other or anything like that), while walking slow and trying to keep the water level will have the opposite effect."
Yes, you tend to overcorrect if you're watching too closely.
"Worried you'll forget about something tomorrow? Put your shoes on a table.
Me:"Why are my...Oh!"
Or
Me: "Obviously I won't forget why I just put my shoes on the table cuz I keep thinking about it" (that's the point.)"
If you're going to do this, at least make sure there's a towel under them. Shoes are gross.
"Never watch TV while you are assembling a baby bed.
It’s my go to advice for parents to be."
“Never eat something that is still on fire,” is my go to advice for parents to be.
"If you're ever writing something and get stuck, find a way to incorporate the word "moist" into the piece. It's an inherently unpleasant and unusable word, but trying to get it in there will get your brain working and produce more writing."
"'Sometimes people s*ck.' It really made me stop and think about how some people just suck and the only thing I can change is how I let it effect me. I became a much less angrier person, I hardly have road rage anymore, and just generally happier."
I prefer to remind myself that sometimes life sucks. That helps me remember to be kind, especially when dealing with a difficult stranger. I don't know them, I don't know their story. Maybe they're just having a bad day.
"Feeling sleepy? Turn your head back and look at the ceiling/sky for 5 seconds."
This advice is where the worlds of sleepiness and nosebleeds collide.
"I once fixed a laptop by following the YouTube advice that included sticking a penny above the CPU and pointing a hair dryer at it for 30m.
Did not expect that to work out at all but the laptop was dead and old so gave it a go."
"If you pretend to be more confident, over time you’ll just become more confident and you won’t have to pretend anymore. I was told this in high school and it stuck with me."
"Opening bananas from the bottom is easier.
Literally just squeeze the black tip and it just pops open for easy peeling.
Monkeys do it cause they know wassup wit it."
