I am curious what was the best advice that you ever received? And a follow up question of, did you use it?
M. Aman
I’ve received a lot of great advice and if I’m honest most of it comes from my husband, who knows me better than I know myself. However, I received a piece of advice from a friend a few years ago that has always stuck with me and that garnered even more meaning when she unexpectedly passed away.
Her advice came in two parts; the first was “The world doesn’t need more ‘them’s’, it needs YOU. Just as you are. Stop letting ‘them’ make you think differently”.
THIS.
I am sure that I have read something to this equivalent in magazines, on posters, while scrolling on the internet etc… Never before had someone grabbed me by both shoulders, looked me in the eyes and said those words directly to ME. Nor have I ever had someone who was such a force of nature, utter those words to me. It was a profound moment for me, a moment that I will always remember and a piece of advice that has always stuck with me.
After all that do you think I used that piece of advice? No. Have I ever mentioned that I am a stubborn mule when it comes to advice about myself? Well, I am. When she gave me this advice, I was not in a place to actually put it into action. I wasn’t sure of myself, where I belonged in the world and lacked the gumption to do something that was just for me. Then, about three months ago (3!) her words came screaming back to me and I realized, I was ready. I put her advice into action and I’ve never looked back. Her advice was beyond right, she saw something in me that I had yet to see and I will forever be grateful to her for that. Which leads me to the second part of her advice, she always (I mean EVERY DAMN time) greeted me with “Girl you are such a cute badass”, which wasn’t so much advice as it was a reminder of the advice she had given me. I think of those words anytime I feel myself trying to be something that I am not and I remember…there once was an amazing woman who saw me for me and made sure to remind me how amazing I was, just as I am…every time I saw her.
With that let me leave you with my own nugget of advice that is paraphrased from the wonderful Maya Angelou “We will not be remembered for what we did for people, we will be remembered for how we made them feel”.
Thanks for writing in M. Aman askin’ for advice is always harder than it seems but I am always here to give a little.
Be Well. Good Talk.
