By Dr. Oleksandr (Sasha) Kondrashov
We’ve all received advice and words of wisdom that stuck with us over the years – some from parents, teachers, mentors, friends or even strangers. The collective life experience of humanity offers an invaluable guide to navigating life’s ups and downs. Recently, the Facebook community “Power of Positivity” https://www.facebook.com/powerofpositivity crowd-sourced the best advice people had ever received. Thousands of comments flooded in, forming a repository of real-talk gems gained from lived experience on topics ranging from relationships to self-care, spirituality to handling adversity with grace.
When compiled and distilled, patterns emerge on the most helpful and uplifting advice people have gotten. As it turns out, the simplest and timeless lessons remain profoundly relevant. We gleaned the 8 major themes covered and highlighted the top 50+ pieces of advice offered. From practicing unconditional kindness to finding inner peace, maintaining integrity to seeing challenges as opportunities – this crowd-sourced guide offers signposts to living life to the fullest. Let the wisdom wash over you and integrate the advice that resonates into your being.
While the wisdom and life lessons shared in this post come from a place of good intentions, as I remind my students, social workers must be mindful that offering advice can often be inappropriate or counterproductive. Each person’s situation is unique and nuanced, shaped by multiple societal, environmental and personal factors. The advice that resonates with one person may be entirely useless or even harmful to another. Rather than doling out blanket advice, our role is to offer non-judgmental support rooted in compassion and respect for our clients’ self-determination. We strive to understand their context, strengths, challenges and goals from their perspective. Our guidance takes the shape of asking thoughtful questions, providing options, bolstering self-efficacy, and journeying with clients as they determine their own path forward. Read the pieces of advice with curiosity and an open mind, but integrate any “advice” judiciously and only in ways that align with your social work values.
As you read through the rest of the guide, I invite you to put on your “critical thinking cap” and examine the advice shared with an inquisitive, discerning lens. Each piece of advice offers a unique glimpse into that individual’s values, interpretation of life experiences, and the lenses through which they view the world. Some may resonate with your own perspectives, while others may seem puzzling or even troubling. Yet there is opportunity for growth when we seek to understand different vantage points with compassion. Consider what core beliefs or lived experiences might inform these varying takes. Reflect on advice you may have received across your own life journey and how your relationship to it has evolved. The diversity of voices in this crowd-sourced guide reminds us our deeply personal wisdom has limits, and that we all have more to understand about the human experience. Bring curiosity rather than judgment to this exercise. Immerse yourself in the stories of others while also deepening confidence in your own inner light – as we all traverse this beautifully messy, endlessly enriching thing called life.
The key overarching themes that emerge across these pieces of advice are: spirituality/faith, self-awareness/actualization, relationships/community, perseverance/resilience, responsibility/integrity, peace of mind, acceptance and letting go. The most common specific advice centered around having faith in God, being true to oneself, practicing empathy and kindness, listening to intuition, letting go of control, constantly learning and growing, saving money and living frugally.
After analyzing the wide range of advice shared, here is a summary grouping the most common themes and highlighting the 50+ top pieces of advice:
Relationships
Treat others as you want to be treated
Be kind, polite and helpful to all
Love unconditionally and forgive freely
Don’t judge or assume things about others
Surround yourself with positive people
Self-Awareness & Self-Care
Be true to yourself
Follow your passion and dreams
Practice self-love and self-care
Work on self-improvement
Don’t worry what others think of you
Integrity & Responsibility
Do the right thing always
Be honest and speak the truth
Keep your promises and commitments
Take responsibility for yourself
Maintain strong values and principles
Wisdom & Learning
Never stop learning and growing
Read, educate yourself and expand awareness
Learn from failures and mistakes
Share wisdom and help enlighten others
Keep an open and curious mind
Financial Prudence
Live below your means
Save money for future needs
Spend money wisely
Avoid unnecessary debt
Invest and build assets
Perseverance & Resilience
Never give up despite challenges
Be patient and persistent
Maintain hope and optimism
Adapt, evolve and press forward
This too shall pass, better times ahead
Peace & Equanimity
Don’t sweat small stuff, chill out
Accept things that you cannot change
Choose happiness and peace of mind
Practice gratitude, count your blessings
Go with the flow, take life as it comes
Faith & Spirituality
Have faith and trust in God
Pray and seek God’s guidance
Read the Bible and follow its teachings
Let go, let God
Miscellaneous Good Advice
Follow your intuition and gut instincts
Help people in need if you can
Travel and enjoy life’s journey
Laugh often and keep a sense of humour
Work hard with passion and purpose
Take care of health as top priority
Set goals and have personal ambition
Keep an emergency fund, save for rainy days
Spend quality time with loved ones
Keep learning new skills, hobbies and interests
Appreciate the present moment.
Find healthy ways to manage stress when challenges arise.
Laugh often.
Seek beauty, wonder and inspiration around you every day – in nature, people, arts or acts of compassion.
Deal wisely with anger or conflicts. Speak truth with love, listening earnestly to understand others’ perspectives.
Nurture your curiosity to keep growing in knowledge and wisdom over a lifetime.
Foster a community of supportive friends and family.
Handle your mistakes and failures with courage and grace.
When facing major decisions or crossroads, listen to your heart and inner wisdom.
Live your purpose authentically. Use your talents to make the world brighter in ways only you can.
The journey of life holds beauty and wisdom if we walk in openness. As we dive deep into this crowd-sourced guide, some advice resonates while other perspectives puzzle. Varied insights reveal the uniqueness of each traveler’s path. For as far as we have come, the road still stretches far beyond what eyes can see.
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