To ask, what's the best piece of advice you've ever received?

[Stripey3000]

I'll start. Mine was in the form of a post on the Postsecret website years ago, where people make postcards, sharing secrets anonymously. This one jumped out at me as it simply said 'You get what you settle for.' For me at the time, those were the exact words I needed to hear. I was heading towardsthe end of a failing marriage (aged 30) and thinking about whether to stay with him or not. In that moment I chose not to settle for what had become an unhappy situation for the rest of my life. 10 years on and I still remember that as a pivotal moment, seeing the sentiment I needed to help me make my decision. I have no regrets 😊
So what advice have you received that stuck with you?

You are living in the here and now and preparing for the future, not living in the past and waiting for things to 'go back to the way they were'.

To wear a raw onion tied round my neck when I have a cough because that's what they do when dogs have kennel cough.

"Always ask for more".

Look after yourself as no one else will.

Worry just steals time to be happy

Always try to be the person your dog thinks you are

@Bells3032

On the more serious side was a friend who asked me why I was always dumbing myself down in front of guys I liked. I had never even noticed I was doing it. It was then I realised I was always settling for guys who I didn't find intellectually stimulating but settled for anyway and was always afraid of showing my true intelligence (sorry if I sound arrogant here) for fear of intimidating them. 6 years later and I am happily married. If you ask my husband what he loves the most about me he will tell you my brain.

On a less serious note... To put your feet up on a stool whilst pooping. Absolute life changer

What is the benefit of the stool?!?

Do the opposite (of what your instinctive habit is). Simple, yet brilliant.

'never depend on a man for income, housing or ... Anything really'... My oldest friend. So true and thank God I listened to her.

Feel the fear and do it anyway/ what's the worst that could happen?.. Both from the wonderful Susan Jeffers. Genuinely made my life so much better than it would otherwise have been..

I need a book of some of these for my DDs.

@2021s

You are not obliged to maintain relationships with family members who are bad for your mental health

What’s meant for you won’t go past you

Definitely agree with that one about family!

Don’t buy a house that’ll be difficult to sell on.

Comparison is the thief of joy

Best advice I was given was by a counsellor I attended as I was mentally and physically burning out
She told me this saying and it has stuck with me ever since
Don’t set yourself on fire to keep others warm

To help with procrastination:

It's better to do 10 minutes of [work/housework/practicing a skill] now than to plan to do 2 hours tomorrow.

In other words, just DO whatever it is you're putting off. Even if it's not the most productive session you've ever done, it's better than nothing.

Sometimes it's better to seek forgiveness than ask permission 🤷🏻‍♀️

In my darkest of days my dear friend sent me a bracelet, engraved on the inside is “keep fucking going” it’s so true, however awful things are you have to get your self up and keep on going

Don't get stressed about things which you have no control over.

It's just a pointless waste of time, effort and emotion.

My old Mums favourite. "Son, you cant ride two horses with one behind"

Don't say you are ok if you're not. This was way before the its ok to not be ok thing by a straight talking Yorkshire farmer, I think that's why it resonated with me so much.

This sounds so cliche and twee, but reading that book ‘How Not To Give A Fuck’ was life changing. I only have so many fucks to give, I no longer give fucks about stupid stuff.

You are not your thoughts.

Sounds obvious to me now but for so many years I believed all the negative crap my mind was coming up with about myself.

@honeylulu love your quotes especially the last one 🤣

Opinions are like arseholes, everyone has one and you don't want them to share it with you

A child comes in to your life, not the other way around

Parenting advice is great but it is only advisory, you can ignore it

No-one can make you feel inferior without your consent

Mine would be “you can do it if you try hard”, simple but keeps me hopeful

Nan - you can’t polish shite
Mam - Micawber Principle
Ex’s mam - wants and needs (re spending)