55 Essential Pieces Of Advice Everyone Needs

Did you ever hear someone say something which changed you, something you remember forever? Have you ever received advice that shook you to your core? We all have. From life and work advice to interpersonal insights, there are some real gems out there — untarnished bits of wisdom which everyone should hear. There is also generational advice, or pieces of advice which have withstood the test of time. But what advice is essential? What are the things everyone needs to know? Well, we asked our Scary Mommy writers and readers for the best advice they’ve ever received, and boy-oh-boy did they deliver.

So from the humorous and serious to the most practical, here are the 55 best pieces of advice everyone needs to know.

1. Even the darkest hours only have 60 minutes. Take it one second at a time.
2. You cannot control the world, but you can control your reaction to it.
3. Live a life true to yourself, not the life others expect of you.
4. If you feel like a doctor is blowing off your concerns, ask them to note in your chart that they declined to do tests/screenings.
5. Don’t make decisions when you’re angry. Don’t make promises when you’re happy.
6. If it’s a good idea today, it will still be a good idea tomorrow. Sleep on it.
7. Don’t try to rationalize the irrational.
8. Live life one day at a time.
9. Don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t go to for advice.
10. Wear comfortable shoes.
11. If the grass is greener on the other side, know there’s probably manure there.
12. Listen to your body.
13. Treat others as you want to be treated.
14. The three strongest words aren’t always “I love you.” Sometimes they’re “I am sorry.”
15. Always check for toilet paper before you sit down.
16. When in doubt, say “let me think about it.”
17. Don’t go to the grocery store on an empty stomach.
18. Don’t believe everything you read.
19. Don’t text him/her/them.
20. Give it 48 hours.
21. Don’t sweat the petty things, and don’t pet the sweaty things.
22. Don’t let someone else’s bad behavior be your excuse to act badly.
23. Listen to your gut in all situations. Trust it; it won’t betray you.
24. Just because you forgive someone doesn’t mean you have to let them back in your life.
25. Live your own dreams, not those of others.
26. Marry someone you like, not just someone you love.
27. Never loan money you can’t afford to give.
28. Not everyone will like you, and you will not like every person you meet. Both are okay.
29. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
30. The grass isn’t greener on the other side, it’s greener where you water it.
31. Actions speak louder than words.
32. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
33. Remember, courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is being afraid and doing something anyway.
34. Do what is right, not what is easy.
35. Learn something new everyday.
36. Failure is not the opposite of success; it is part of it.
37. The only failure in life is not to try.
38. A large portion of your mental anguish is caused by an unrealistic belief that reality ‘should be’ different from what it actually is. Stop living in the ‘shoulds’ and embrace the ‘woulds’ and ‘coulds.’
39. Don’t value your successes by someone else’s metric.
40. Charge your phone.
41. Backup your computer.
42. Brush your teeth.
43. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
44. Be generous with yourself. Life is long; you will make a lot of mistakes.
45. When you’re wrong, admit it. When you’re right, be quiet.
46. Try not to take anything personally. No one thinks about you as much as you do.
47. Only pack what you can carry.
48. Spend 10 minutes a day pooping at work. By the end of the year you will have been paid a full 40 hours just for using the bathroom.
49. Do what you do with love.
50. Get in the picture, no matter how you feel or how you look.
51. Don’t take things too seriously.
52. Laugh loudly and often.
53. Say ‘I love you,’ if you feel it.
54. Live life to the fullest, because it only happens once.
55. And finally, never take unsolicited advice — unless it is the essential advice from this article, obviously.