What's the best advice you ever received?

One of the best bits of advise came from my ex! When people offer to help, if you are sure they mean it, accept it. People like to help and be useful and it makes them feel better.

It made this very independent and stubborn person think! Also I find that as I get older it is more pertinent and I actually ask for help occasionally now.

Elle your words

"I'm a worrier, I care what people think about me, I worry about what's going to happen tomorrow, I mither about nonsensical things that I have no control over."

could be a description of me! Did the book work? If so, I will definitely buy it. All this worrying is exhausting and pointless and I would love to find a way out of it.

Like it granny23.

"Every day's a school-day" ie there's always something to learn. Always

btw Elle - mither, lovely word! Thanks for that.

When I moved into a student flat and had to cook (after being in a student residence and then digs) my mother said "When in doubt, add another onion" and I have found that to be very good advice.

And some underwear ones....

'No experience is ever wasted' has proved true to me throughout my life. Even the tiniest apparently ineffectual experience can pop up later and provide food for thought in a later scenario

'Reinforcement is absolutely necessary'. We were told this at teacher training college but it fits into all kinds of learning situations!

Elle - that is exactly what I say to myself sometimes when a thread gets too confrontational and I can't be bothered any more!

We cannot change other people however hard we try but when you change yourself, people around you begin to change.

My contribution to this thread isn't so much advice that's been passed on to me, more a book in the same vein.

I'm a worrier, I care what people think about me, I worry about what's going to happen tomorrow, I mither about nonsensical things that I have no control over.

My daughter is always telling me that a lot of what I worry about is wasted energy but she was trying to get blood out of a stone so she bought me a book.

I apologise before I go any further for the title of the book (just as my daughter did), I'm not a person who swears and I could have taken exception to it but, after reading it, the title is very appropriate. I'm hoping that I don't break forum rules by posting it. It's "f**k it", written by John C Parkin. I don't necessarily say the word printed in the book but I don't break any rules by thinking it.

'Good Enough, gets more done'. As a congenital perfectionist, I have to try very hard to follow this one. OTOH with arthritic hands, less energy and memory lapses 'Good Enough' is quite an achievement most days.

Someone persuaded against their will, is of the same opinion still.

absent

When asked to make a sentence with the word "horticulture", Dorothy Parker said, "You can lead a whore to culture, but you can't make her think".

From my father when I left home: you can always afford insurance, it's not a luxury but a neccessity. This good advice was especially remembered when my house caught fire in 2007. I had water damage and the flat upstairs had fire,smoke and water damage. Their landlord and I shared the buildings insurance and I also had home insurance. The young couple didn't, hadn't got around to it. So I ended up with a new flat,furniture and fixings - they had to make do with what they could beg,borrow or steal. All for because they hadn't paid less then £20 a month for contents.
The following year my daughter and her then boyfriend had their flat burgled, items like jewellry,lap-tops and cameras were taken. They had renters insurance which cost them £8.00 a month. They got all their stolen items replaced.

My mother would say, 'you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink.'

I am afraid I can't agree with apologising when you are in the right. Of course, it depends on how serious the disagreement was, but sometimes it is not wise to reinforce somebody's wrong thinking. I couldn't apologise to my sister when we had words about her openly racist attitude. We just agreed to disagree.

A girlfriend of mine said 'always apologise when you've quarrelled even if you feel in the right. It makes things better every time!'

I like that rosieb

An aunt of mine had a wee saying - a bit twee but so true.

Yesterday is history
Tomorrow is a mystery
Today is a gift
That is why they call it the present.

She has been gone for a long time now but I often think of her and of her wisdom.

After my DH came through treatment for cancer -still on check-ups, but all is well - I bought him a magnet which said
Cherish yesterday,
Dream of tomorrow
Live for today.
He put it up over the fire and I'm looking at it now.

This one comes from Mother Ann, founder of the Shakers: 'If you can put it down, you can put it away.' I just wish I actually paid heed to it.

Don't bother getting a new husband, he'll only have different faults from the first one!

similar one my Mum used to say hang you clothes up /or put in clothes bin if necessary however tired you are it will be worse tomorrow!!

Grannybags I have that on a piece of Mottoware! (not the bit about your dad obviously!!)