08 February 2007

Dear Abby

I recently received the following inquiry in my emails:

Everyone is always offering advice on everything. What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? What is the worst (and why)?

Hmmm. Must think…

Advice is a tricky thing. The key to it is to wait for it to be requested. Unrequested advice is usually just one person imposing their belief on another. (in my humble opinion)
And asking for advice is kind of a ruse. When someone asks for your advice, it seems they are often just looking for someone to agree with them, not necessarily your view on the topic. We are all guilty of giving and asking for advice. I have tried to rephrase it as simply "I need help. Tell me what you think."

Nevertheless, I had to think about the original question…what was the best piece of advice I have received. I think there is two and they are kind of intertwined…

"Follow your Gut." Loosely translated as "Follow your first impulse." Or "Never second guess." I have found that the more I can just follow my own instincts: the better my life is.
"Patience" is the other piece of advice. Just wait and "this too shall pass."

The worst piece of advice I ever received was "There is no right or wrong. There's just what you feel." Huh? What? It is kind of a "follow your gut" but it is also kind of ethereal. I suppose to an abstract kind of person, this makes sense. But to me, who often sees in Black & White, it wasn't helpful at all.

AND by the way, the person that gave me said advice is the same person that sat in jail for 18 months for heinous crimes. Guess she followed her own advice. Yeah, that didn't so much work out for her. Thank God Above that I didn't take her advice.

So, what is your best piece of advice?

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