What is the best piece of advice you've been given?

[pouracupofambition]

I'll start. If you don't know the answer say you'll come back to them. Don't be forced into a commitment. Applies to business and personal life.

What about you?

Said when I was in the depths of newborn 'what the fuck do I do now' uncertainty -

'listen to all the advice. You don't have to take it, but something might sound useable. Try that, and if not, move onto the next suggestion'.

Also 'if she loved you she wouldn't treat you like that - you don't have to put up with it just because she's your mum'.

It strikes me so many of these contradict each other!

Save and prioritise your pension from the day you turn 18? Or live each day as if it is your last?

If in doubt, do nowt? Or "you regret the things you don't do more than the things you do"?

Say what you mean and mean what you say

yesimactively

"What you see is what you get" is a very astute piece of advice that I'll be passing onto a friend whose long term boyfriend has been verbally abusing her for the past 2 years.

She tells me that he's going to change...

But you could say the opposite. They might be friends with them but they wouldn't go near them romantically.

"Look after yourself because no bugger else will" was something my aged grandfather said!

I was a teenager and struggling at school, in fact failed all my O Levels due to a crap school and bullying etc., and he was trying to persuade me to turn it around and make sure I got a good education, qualifications and a profession so that I'd always be able to get a decent job to support myself, and not have to rely on a man nor state benefits, etc. It really struck a chord and I worked my arse off once I left school to do evening classes alongside a crap low paid job to firstly get O levels, then A levels, then a chartered accountancy qualification. It was very hard work, took several years, but I did it and never looked back and have been able to be self sufficient for the subsequent 40 years working life!

I'll be forever grateful to his wise words at a very vulnerable and depressing time of my life.

Doing nothing is also a decision.

Think before you speak.

Don’t trouble trouble ‘til trouble troubles you, you’ll only double trouble and trouble others too!

Was a favourite of my Granny.

That was used in a guardian article recently-

If you feel like you hate everyone- have something to eat.

If you feel like everyone hates you- go to sleep.

Why? Just curious

They don't get promoted, they get stuck.

never leave a room without doing at least 2 things to improve it
I thanked your post a few days but had to revisit as holy shit this might be my new best piece of advice.
I always knew the take something with you when you leave a room version, but I think my possibly ADHD brain tries to ignore that as chores to do. Whereas despite this being a very similar concept, the idea of something to improve has already stuck so much better. It isn't going to make me a domestic goddess but it might make my flat happier.

I just came back to this thread to say something very similar. I initially read the advice as making sure you do something to improve a room which is full of people so my initial thoughts were to never leave boring work meetings without doing a karaoke number 😀

But, the actual advice is brilliant. I've veeb following it for a few days - my house is much tidier anf I feel more in control of on-going house-keeping.

So thank you, PP.