Advice is an interesting thing. Sometimes we want it; sometimes we don't. Sometimes it's good and other times it's just plain horrible. There are, however, the occasional bits of advice that stick with us. Whether it's from your grandma, a friend, or simply a song, certain advice appeals to us more than we ever thought it possibly could. For this reason, I wanted to hear from friends and relatives about the best piece of advice they have ever received.
My intention was to narrow it down to my top ten favorite responses, but each one of these made me smile. So perhaps this article is not one that you read in its entirety right now. Instead, return to it on those not so great days, pick and number between 1 and 50, and you just may read something that will make you laugh, cry, or at least take a deep breath.
1. Molly, 29 - "Don't make decisions based on those who will be disappointed by that choice; instead on whether or not you will disappoint yourself."
2. Caitlin, 20 - "That's a future me issue."
3. John, 53 - "Don't sign up for college classes that start at 8 a.m."
4. Cynthia, 19 - "Lo que cuenta es lo de dentro."--"What matters most is what's on the inside."
5. Cody, 21 - "It's always nice to be nice."
6. Elizabeth, 19 - "It's better to be hated for something you are than loved for something you are not."
7. Natalie, 19 - "Never miss out on chance to tell the people closest to you how important they are. You never know when the opportunity to do so will be gone."
8. Frankie, 19 - "Stay single in college."
9. Abby, 20 - "You can never have too many pairs of underwear."
10. Annette, 23 - "Everything in moderation, even moderation."
11. Chelsea, 26 - " Never have any regrets, because what you did was what you wanted at the time and led you to where you are today. Oh, and if you can't tone it, tan it."
12. Jenna, 19 - "Sometimes crying doesn't fix everything, but add some ice cream, and you've got a winner."
13. Michaela, 5 - "Let it go."
14. Sam, 19 - "Keep your elbows off the dinner table."
15. Nicole, 20 - "When eating pizza never feel guilty for asking for extra cheese, eating the entire thing, and ordering another."
16. Kati, 25 - "The worst thing you can do for yourself is become complacent. You can't wait for things to happen to you -- if you want something bad enough, you have to make it happen. And if you find that sounds too difficult, it probably means you don't want it enough."
17. Kevin, 24 - "Plan in decades. Think in years. Work in months. Live in days."
18. Caroline, 20 - "Only strippers shave above the knee."
19. Kim, 48 - "Age gracefully. Don't try to look younger, just look best for your age."
20. Ben, 19 - "Always poop before you shower."
21. Kristin, 20 - "Don't feel sorry for yourself."
22. Sabrina, 18 - "The only time to set the bar low is for limbo."
23. Meg, 19 - "The secret to success is waking up early."
24. Courtney, 20 - "You either need to shit or get off the pot."
25. Caroline, 19 - "A little goes a long way. A little love will get you through just about anything. A little kindness from a friend will get you to the next day. A little happiness can keep you going."
26. Adrienne, 25 - "Who gives a shit."
27. Maddie, 19 - "Make a timeline, have a plan, but don't be surprised when nothing goes as planned."
30. Kitty, 20 - "Excuses are like assholes. Everyone has one and they all stink."
31. Anne, 39 - "Love others first."
32. Lindsay, 19 - "Never lower your standards."
33. Meredith, 22 - "Never stop being curious, always ask questions, explore the unknown and try new things. Life is about discoveries, it doesn't help anyone to be stuck."
34. Nicole, 19 - "Take life day by day."
35. David, 20 - "God put us on this Earth because he thought we'd enjoy it."
36. Erica, 21 - "Success is happiness. If you find joy in at least one piece of each day, no matter what it is, then you've found success."
37. Beth, 19 - "It's OK to cry, but only for a little while."
38. Jack, 19 - "Go for the girl you love. Get rejected and forget about it."
39. Maggie, 20 - "Be happy with what you have. Don't go searching for things to make you happy."
40. Stephen, 10 - "Treat others how you want to be treated."
41. Shannon, 19 - "Don't take life too seriously."
42. Maria, 19 - "Tomorrow's a new day."
43. MaryJane, 19 - "If you want something you don't have, you have to do something you've never done."
44. Emily, 20 - "It's socially acceptable to be awkward."
45. Lexie, 20 - "Laugh, even when you want to cry, because laughing is the best way to get through life. Everything that seems big will be small one day."
46. Michael, 42 - "Savor the moment."
47. Brady, 7 - "Never give up."
48. Christianna, 20 - "Be happy -- it drives people crazy."
49. Leslie, 20 - "Always take a nap because they are the best invention ever."
50. Molly, 19 - "Don't take anything personally. Nothing other people do is actually about you. If we let what others say affect us, we set ourselves up for needless pain."