Taking my own advice

Good evening everyone, thank you for the words of encouragement, i very much appreciate everything.

Today I decided to write about heeding to our own words, on several occasions I have at some point or the other given my two cents to a friend and even family. When someone comes to talk to me about something and then asks for my input or advice and I give my input, I sometimes think back to that conversation and think about what I have said and whether or not I would take my own advice if found in similar situations.

I realized that I can all but try to give an opinion or advice based on my own perspective of a situation and what I feel may be appropriate for it. All of which of course is all based on my mind-set, point of view and my understanding of the situation which may or may not be helpful to the recipient. Sometimes in giving advice, I do think of what I would do if I was the one wearing the shoes, in reality I may not even follow my own advice; the situation might hit me differently, in a different environment and under different circumstances and I might react absolutely differently from how I advised someone else to. Does that make me a hypocrite, does it mean I should stop giving advice if i won’t follow my own advice; yes, no, maybe, I don’t know. What I do know is that things are sometimes easier said than done, things do happen, life’s situations affect us all differently, the experiences could sometimes be similar which is why we often have the capacity to empathize with someone else in their own experiences and would give advice based on our own handling and dealing with that situation, with the intent to help out.

The one who wears the shoe knows where it hurts, as much as I want to be of help and give good advice, as much as I may have been In similar situation myself, I may never fully understand how a situation affects a person because we are different individuals with our own individual makeup, strengths, weaknesses and limits. Which is why sometimes when we give advice, the recipient may not always follow through with it and that’s okay, not every advice is good and suitable for everyone. It all depends on the recipient and whether or not they decide to take the advice and follow through with it. Sometimes it’s not always advice per say, sometimes it could be an opinion on an issue. Based on the individual, an opinion could be seen as good, bad, needed, unnecessary, appropriate or inappropriate; it is about deciding what is needed for you and what isn’t.

I sometimes after being asked for advice or after I’ve given my opinion, I realize that as much as I’m talking to someone else, I’m also talking to myself, reminding myself of certain things that I too should be doing. Talking to another person, sometimes also helps me remind myself of how I should respond and deal with issues if faced with them too. I think that’s why judging a person’s response or reaction to a situation without fully understanding it would be different if it was I in that situation. which is why sometimes applying a bit of consideration, empathy and understanding when giving advice to others and even to ourselves is necessary as much as honesty and truthfulness is important when giving advice, the intention is what matters as it would determine how we deliver the advice, how the recipient would take it in and the outcome it will have.

Whether we are giving or taking advice, it is all important as no one person has all the knowledge or understanding, we learn and glean wisdom and information from one another, which is why I’m learning how important it is to have the right mind-set and intentions when giving our two cents to others and to ourselves too.  

Thank you so much for reading.