CONTENTS

25 pieces of Random Advice.
Random Life Advice.
Personal Advice.
Parenting Advice.
Money Advice.
Love Advice.
Travel Advice.
Health Advice.
Professional Advice.
Food and Drinks Advice.
Bonus piece of Advice.
Closing Thoughts on Random Advice.

Here are 25 pieces of random, helpful advice:

Most of this advice was given to me personally through family and friends.  A few of them are random pieces of advice that I've either heard in passing or read about somewhere and they stuck with me.

Wherever you are in life, I hope these random pieces of advice are as useful and helpful to you as they were to me.

Random Life Advice:

"Nothing in life that is worthwhile comes easy." My teacher in dental hygiene school said this to us in class as a way to motivate us when things were getting tough.  It still hits me to this day and I remind myself of it when times get challenging.

"You have to give back to others."  I received this piece of advice from an Uber driver on my way to Miami International Airport when I asked him what his secret was to living a long life.  He was 80 years old but didn't look it and was very sharp, wise, and funny.

If it's true that you get what you give, then he must have given joy to everyone he met.

"Never burn bridges." A friend once gave me this piece of useful advice.  She was only 28 at the time, but very wise for someone fairly young.  She said you never know whose help you'll need later on in life, so don't burn your bridges and don't sever your ties to people or it may come back to bite you.

"Everything happens for a reason."  This is a piece of advice I would get from random people in my life when something significant happened like losing a loved one or things didn't go my way.  It's hard to take in sometimes, especially when you're facing challenges, but time usually reveals the reason why.

"Don't sweat the small stuff."  I remember reading this from the cover of a book way back in the nineties by Richard Carlson titled, "DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF."  I thought it was great advice, especially coming from a popular book.

I was in college at the time and I loved the title.  Now that I'm married, in my forties, and with 3 children, this advice is even more true for me now than it was back then.  I use it to remind myself not to worry too much about the little annoyances that life can bring us.

Personal Advice:

"Do what you love."  I can't remember where I heard this or who gave me this advice but if you can find what it is that you love doing, then do it.  If you can get paid for it, then it would be like icing on a cake.

"Don't ever send a text in anger."  I made the mistake of sending a text message in anger to someone and regretted it.  When I'm mad, I remind myself of that moment and try my best not to repeat it.

"Don't give all your secrets away."  My dad would often give me this advice as a kid and I never understood it until I got older.  Although he meant it as advice for homework and test-taking, I applied it to my relationships.

You don't want to spill all your secrets onto someone when you first meet them.  It's best to wait until you know someone better to give your secrets away.

"Get an education."  My parents always emphasized the importance of getting an education and as I get older, it becomes more clear to me the value of having knowledge and skills that distinguish you from others.

"You have to believe in yourself."  I received this piece of advice from Susana Marcus after I was diagnosed with a serious illness.  I knew that if I wanted to thrive not just physically, but also mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, I would have to believe in myself.

"Never stop playing because while your music is keeping your body and soul in line, you may also be keeping someone else’s in your surroundings."  I think this is great advice to apply to your life, even if it's not about music.  When your life is aligned with what you love doing, it will not just lift you up but will be uplifting to others.

Parenting Advice:

"Sleep as much as you can."  People told me this before I had my first kid and after my second and third kids.  Each time I didn't follow it, I paid the price, so if you're a parent of a baby, please heed this advice.

"Enjoy them while they're little."  This is another piece of advice I got often and it's true.  When you're just starting out as a parent, it seems like time stretches forever, especially when you're tired.  But you get so busy with life that it seems like one day your kids are toddlers and then you blink and they're teenagers.

"Spoil your children."  This is advice from a beloved neighbor and friend who would almost always say this to me.  Her way of showing her love was being generous with her time, telling funny stories, and always remembering to spoil us with a bag of chocolates.

Money Advice:

"You get what you paid for."  I've received this advice, I've given it, and I've heard people give it to others.  Generally, the less money you paid for something, the less value you'll receive.  The more you pay for something, the more value you'll get back.

"Don't spend it all at once."  My mom always gave me this advice when she'd give me money.  I think it's helpful if you're trying to budget your income or you want to save money for big expenses like a house, a car, or your retirement.

"Investing in yourself is never a waste."  I first read about this piece of advice when I began practicing mindfulness as a way to heal my life.  If it's for education, your wellbeing, or anything that will help you gain more knowledge, skills, or uplift you, then it's worth every penny.

Love Advice:

"You can only give what you have, so love yourself first so you can give love to others."  I had this revelation when my son was asked to be a ring bearer for my cousin's wedding.  I was so happy for him that all I wanted in that moment was for everyone to feel how I felt.

I realized that you can easily give to others what you already have in you, so if you love yourself, you can give that love freely to others.

Travel Advice:

"Make sure you bring lots of wipes and disposable bags."  I used to get this a lot when I would tell my patients or family members with kids that I was going on a trip with my children in tow and you know what, I always ended up needing both.

Health Advice:

"Always buy medical insurance."  This advice was from my very wise friend who told me to buy myself medical insurance after she learned that I hadn't and my reason was I was healthy and always careful.

I learned the hard way the importance of that piece of advice after I was hit with a hefty medical bill when I had an MRI done in the emergency room (without insurance!) that turned out to be nothing serious.

"Floss only the teeth you want to save."  I always gave this piece of advice to my patients half-jokingly and half-seriously.  It is true, though, that when you care for your teeth, they will take care of you.

Professional advice:

"Do it right the first time."  If you want something to last, do it right the first time.  I learned this from my employers and working as a dental hygienist.  If you didn't do a good job, whether it was cleaning teeth, filling a tooth, or repairing equipment in the office, then you would pay for it later.

"Always let your work speak for itself."  My father-in-law gave this piece of advice to his kids.  He would tell them that you don't have to be boastful about your work if you are already doing a great job because it'll speak for itself and will pay off in the long run.

Food and Drinks Advice:

"Spend money on good quality food."  My mom always told me this when she'd go shopping.  She taught me a lot about buying quality items, especially when it came to food, because it nourishes your body and you become what you eat.

"If you don't feel good, take time off and get help."  My mother-in-law always told me that she went to the doctor for every little thing. Your employer may not like it, but if something happened to you, you'd be easily replaced.  So take time to care for yourself when you need it, you'll thank yourself later.

Bonus piece of Advice:

"Eat lots of vegetables."  I wanted to throw this in because this is advice that was given to me and my husband from our 93-year-old neighbor and an 80-year old Uber driver.  I asked what their secret to living so long and healthy was, and they both gave this answer: eat lots of vegetables.

Closing Thoughts on Random Advice.

Advice can be the best thing in the world, or it can be like a smack in the face.  I think it depends on who you are and who you give the advice to.  It also depends on how it is given to you.

If given the proper way, it can help others, or inspire them.  If given the wrong way, can hurt someone, or devastate them.

Overall, the best piece of advice is to not worry about what others tell you or what they think.  Be true to yourself.  Do what makes you happy.  And always do your best.

Hopefully, this list has inspired and motivated you in your own life.  Maybe one day, your own words will be received just as well as the ones I mentioned.  In the meantime, please share a few of your own pieces of advice down below.