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Advice Inspirational Quotes

by Steve M Nash
(Farnley Tyas, Huddersfield, UK)


Weekly Wonder Online: 38


Samuel Taylor Coleridge wonders...

"Advice is like snow; the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and deeper it sinks into, the mind."

More Free Advice Inspirational Quotes...
"Listen to advice and accept correction, then in the end you will be wise."
-- Old proverb

"Nobody can give you wiser advice than yourself."
-- Cicero

"Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't."
-- Erica Jong

"We all admire the wisdom of people who come to us for advice."
-- Jack Herbert


What I Wonder...


Listen to my thoughts about this advice inspirational quotation in the video below. You'll also discover a bit more about a favourite place of mine in Yorkshire (England!) - this time the video location is a Farnley Tyas view of Castle Hill!...




(NOTE: Yes, *I* wrote any captions you see in this video. It's called self-deprecation, and it's mostly a healthy thing (I think!).)

As you'll see in the video, I have several thoughts about receiving advice, and consider several sources to be good places to seek it out.
  • Advice could be received from a good friend - someone who listens to you and someone you listen to.

  • 'Advice' could be received from a professional, like a therapist - then this advice really becomes 'being listened to'.

  • Advice could come from yourself, from listening to your gut or your instincts or, simply, 'how you feel'.

It's all explained in the inspirational advice quotes I've listed, really.

Receiving advice is mostly about being listened to, about being given permission to make up our own minds (as Cicero notes in his inspirational advice quote).

And, most of the time as Erica Jong notes, we pretty much know what the answer is when we look for advice.

And if we genuinely do not know - if we feel we just haven't got a clue, or if someone is giving us unsolicited advice - then what we really need, most of all, is advice that is delivered 'gently', with care, and with the audience in mind...


For example (a VERY personal example), I know of a woman - let's call her T - who gave advice to a man a while back, a man we shall call, er, S (yeah, S for Steve - hint hint).

Now this woman could tell quite a lot about this man, due to his 'unease' - how he related to himself as a man, being one of the things she was in tune with.

However, her unsolicited words of advice were given in such a way as to make the man feel defensive, and even angry. And so do you know what he did with those words of advice (not all of which was about her, and her issues with men, by the way - there was wisdom behind her thoughts)?

He did nothing with them. Nada. Nichts.

Instead, the advice was angrily (and passively aggressively) rejected, out of hand, with a 'how dare she say that about me' feeling of outrage.

(Only later, when he experienced T's views from another source - a male and female source, as it happens - did S even begin to consider the wisdom that lay behind the barbed words.)

Now you tell me, advice-givers (and advice-receivers) out there. What's more important when you give advice to somebody:

a) that they listen to your words of advice, and maybe act on what you say, or

b) that you give advice the way you see fit even if that means the advice will simply be ignored?

Ahem!...

I may be saying a 'little too much', here (but, T, if you happen to be reading this: thanks for sharing your thoughts about me and 'masculinity' - I understand where you were coming from now, even if I disagree with how you imparted your experience of me at the time)...

Still, it makes a good point about the importance of how you give advice: give it with love, and that's ALL ya gotta do! Leave the rest up to them.

I reckon you'd like to receive advice like that, wouldn't you? (I know I would.)...

What YOU wonder?...

Yes, I'd love to hear your wisdom, and insights regarding any of the advice inspirational quotes shared here... You can leave comments below! :-)

Thanks for reading,
Steve

PS Now please comment, please have your say - thank you!

Comments for Advice Inspirational Quotes

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Apr 18, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Thank you
by: Sandra

Thank you for this message. I know this is something I am working on. I want my messages to fall like snow and gently drift in my awareness as well. This quote was timely for me today.

Thank you.
Apr 18, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		What I really think
by: sandra

I had a chance to digest this message and what I found for me is that communication is so complex and sometimes in my zeal, as you eloquently stated, I want to help someone see something which upon thinking about it ,may on an unconscious level be more personal for me.

I also know that I say and do things which are a result of my own environment and what I've learned either willingly or not.

I have been through the range of not expressing my feelings and thoughts and ideas for fear that I may say something wrong or inappropriate to expressing myself for fear that if I don't say something I may just freeze up and become a person who doesn't express themselves at all.

Communication is the hardest thing of all and I find it is even more difficult when you know little about who you are communicating with.

I have friends and family and who would not think for example of sharing parts of themselves and their thoughts and feelings and ideas to others they don't know even when they want to on some level.

This has given me much to think about. Sometimes its better to keep your opinions and advice to yourself and other times it could be better to take a risk and not follow convention and don't give unsolicited advice. Every person responds differently to "advice". A lot depends on factors beyond my control.

I do strive to be open to advice when I give it.

And each day I take a chance to learn more about myself.

Thank you for a post which prompted me to do more self examination.
Jun 20, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Welcome, Sandy
by: Steve

I'm glad this weekly wonder quotes page gave you food for thought. Me too. The tricky balance you mention in your second comment is always going to be a tricky balance, but one that I (and you, clearly) want to continually strive to attain.

Thanks, Sandy, for all the thoughts you share! :-)

Steve
May 02, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Advice
by: Linda

I find if advice that is given by virtue of love, is indeed what we need to hear. For example, if someone is underestimating themselves a lot, then the adviser is going to call them on it. Then the person can look towards change and make new and positive behaviour changes. That alone is good advice.

We can all use good advice but it does need to come from the right source and motivation. Everyone wants to be successful and those offering advice can help us all achieve that.

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