The writing prompts invite postcrossers to write about a different topic on their postcards’ messages every month. These are just suggestions though — if you already know what you want to write about, or the recipient gives you some pointers, that’s great too!
The monthly writing prompts we suggest are often just really fun, like sharing awesome local stuff and imagining what kind of superpowers we’d like… but this month I thought we’d go in a different direction, and share some sage advice!
Advice can be so tricky and situational: I think one of the most life-changing bits of advice I got was from a teacher when it came to picking which university to go to. He told me to visit the campuses, and decide if I felt comfortable there. I refused to even apply to Cambridge on that basis (and admit it, I don’t think I’d have got in anyway), and ended up staking all my hopes on Cardiff University, even deferring entry for a year so I could attend Cardiff specifically. I was very happy and loved my university… and I do tend to use that experience more generally as proof that going with my gut can be a very powerful way to make a tough decision!
For more general advice, my grandma always had some pithy sayings, some of which were more intelligible than others. My favourite to share is this: “You can’t educate pork.” She was never that willing to explain (we’re still not certain about “If you don’t want to fight, wear a really big hat”, though there are theories) but the family have always taken this to be a caution about taking part in arguments that you’ll never win because the other person isn’t listening. I use it to remind myself not to reply to random people on social media…
And finally, I’ll leave you with the advice my dad gave me in a letter, back when I was deciding on which modules to take in my second year of university. He declined to comment on what might be useful to study, and instead told me that if I was ever trapped in a basement or something with only a jar of pickled gherkin, a battery and jump leads, I could put a current through a gherkin to achieve an eerie green light… and hot food.
Make of that what you will, and we’d be excited to learn what great pieces of advice you’ve received, both serious and silly! You can write about it on your postcards this month, and share in the comments as well if you like.
43 comments so far
"You only live once." For me, that is the best piece of advice. :)
Sei mit dem zufrieden und glücklich, was Du hast!
What I would advise, very similar to what JJmedusa says, “would be to live in the present moment”, to be here and now, it's not easy but it's good to try.
Learn each day another thing.
I'm working as an activity aide at a long term care home and I do mostly activities that needs preparation. My mentor at school told me;" make time to prep, make everything ready for the next activity, because maybe you're not there the next day for a reason, so your co-worker can take on your activity". Thank Anita, my mentor, I'm still thinking about you and gave me always the best advice.
I love this topic, already such great advice! Some of my favorite advice is like Dominique's above: "when you stop learning, you stop living!"
I like to live life well,
without ruining other people's lives,
but without letting them ruin mine!
By
António Pinho
The best piece of advice is from my tai chi teacher and mentor. She said, when it comes to advice, only take what you can use and disregard the rest.
Don't complain. Complaining's easy, changing it isn't. - My Dad
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” —Winston Churchill (I always like that one)
Every day is miracle. You have to find reason to get out of the house rain or shine. The reason will be to find a postcard, find a place to write the postcard, to post the postcard.
"Yesterday's bread is moldy, tomorrow's bread is not yet baked, so let's eat today's one." It was a nun, who shared it to me years ago and I always reminder.
And also, when life is difficult and a problem arises, I ask myself "what could have been worse?". That helps me put things into perspective.
YOLO!♥️
I like to remember that all hard times pass, and everything is going to be ok; God only puts upon you what you can bear. Advice from the Quran ✨️
Don't go for the bread to the shoe shop. There is none.
I really love this topic! I completely agree with the all comments above. I feel that at different times in life, different advice speaks to me. I’d like to share one piece of advice I received years ago on a postcard from Russia — not exactly advice, but I took it that way. It showed a fox wearing rabbit ears and said something like, “This year, I am a rabbit.” For me, that meant that anything is possible — I just have to decide what I want to be. That postcard is still my Instagram profile picture today.
From my grandma, “…you’re pretty ( all grandma’s think their granddaughters are pretty😉), but that will fade. Make sure you have something else in your back pocket.”
From my husband’s family; whomever your child chooses as a partner, learn to accept and love them, or lose your child.
From my oldest daughter to me, “your kids only tell you what they think you can handle.”
There’s lots of funny ones too…family stories and wisdom are so important.
"Never sell your land" from a teacher in 5th grade
"Don't stress over things that are beyond your control" from a friend
The solution lies in the journey.
To find a project find projection with compassion and love ❤️
You have a precious human life be grateful and enjoy ☺️ like a child
“Roll the Dice.”
The wise person who said it was referring to the human tendency to get stuck, sometimes, and in that stuckness—feel not-a-little misery.
It was about developing Human Agency by making a decision *while* knowing we can’t always predict that decision’s consequences.
But, anyway, we, again & again & again (and rather bravely): “Roll the Dice.”
>~♥️~>
In November, my best advice is to give thanks to the Creator for allowing me to live a joyful life.
My cousin (who considered himself married way too late) once told me:
‘So, when do you plan to retire? Gonna support your kids through college? Then take your retirement age, subtract 22 — that’s when you should’ve had kids.’
So I adopted a dog instead. 🐶
Take a moment to acknowledge the small joys in every day. Those moments will tell your brain to turn off any negativity lurking in the shadows.
I'd indeed love to see what good advice postcrossers have received in their lives!
The advice that stuck with me the most over the years was from my mother: "Make sure you can live independently, both financially and emotionally"
She is to this day in a very happy marriage with my dad and he knows well that she chooses to stay with him because she truly wants to and not because she has to or is scared of being alone.
Your dad's advice sounds like "study physics and electrical engineering" to me!
The best advice I received is "let go". It took me 10 years to understand what it really meant, and 10 more years to learn how to do that. But now I feel much better because I don't stress for things I can't controll.
"Man lernt nie aus in seinem Leben"
The advice I once received: "you already have "no" for an answer". Meaning that if you don't ask, you may never get a "yes" in terms of help, support, etc.
The golden rule: Treat others the way you would like to be treated.
Best advice received was given by a friend,
"When you don't know where to start, start in the kitchen."
From my mother: "Be thankful for regrets. It means you had a life. You made decisions, big and small, good and bad, constantly. Don't be like your Aunt Anne, who was too careful, experienced nothing, and lived long. She was an unbloomed rose."
From my dad: "Many hands make light work".
What your foes/enemies think of you and say about you is none of your business. - a wee snippet from my mums golden vocabulary
Don't sweat the small stuff - from my daughter
The quotes from families in the comments section are interesting. My favorite one is
There is no rain that doesn't stop.
Just remembered this one from an elderly friend...... if you wanna move the mouse, you gotta move the cheese....
The best advice I have learnt in my life belongs to the renown Sufi thinker, Rumi:
"Everything waits for its own time. No flower blossoms before its time"
So, no need for rushing and impatience!
Hard to believe that this came out 18 years ago but it's full of excellent advice, so this and the Desiderata - two best pieces of advice ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTJ7AzBIJoI
“Seize the day!” Live in the moment! Do it now while you can!
Not an advice somebody gave me, but a quote I read that changed my perspective: "Everybody wants to change the world but nobody wants to change themselves."
Cheap costs more.
Every cloud has a silver lining
Life is no rehearsal
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