Every now and then life hands you a moment where you get some sage life advice from the "Uncle Iroh/Mr. Miyagi/Yoda" figure in your life. Or maybe it's someone hitting you with some hard truth.
Sometimes all it takes is a sentence or two for things to get really, really real. One Reddit user asked:
What was a sentence said to you that changed your life forever?
We expected "I'm pregnant" to be a popular response - but what we actually got was something else entirely. Take a look.
Be The Adult You Needed
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"Be the adult you needed as a child"
You can be an adult who remembers how to be a child.
That's What Makes Them Good Friends
"F*ck you and the problems you create for yourself"
One of My best friend said that to me 4 years ago and we're still close friends today. It was a wakeup call that I needed.
Good friends sound like a**holes when they need to. That's what makes them good friends.
- JADW27
So Sure
"I've never really loved you, I was just so sure you'd change"
This was after seven years and a child together.
Nothing but BS. This is why I'm bluntly honest. I'd rather just tell you what's wrong and work through it than sit there, make a life together, and just leave and blame the other person. Gets on my nerves.
Arguing With An Idiot
When I was at school, I chatted to a drunk guy at a bus stop once and he gave me some life advice. It was something like this.
"You have a quiet look about you. I can tell you're not a loud mouth and that's a good thing. If anyone tells you not to be that way, f*ck them."
"You can laugh at them when you're a doctor or something. Don't argue with those idiots. Right now I can tell you're smart, but once you start arguing with an idiot, I can't tell the difference."
- WhtCt
Why?
"Why do you care so much what they think?"
Said to 7th grade me after crying for the 187th (ish) time I came home and complained kids were making fun of me.
Now I have the reverse problem. I don't give 2 sh*ts about anyone's opinion...so I speak my mind and let insults roll off...even ones that should bother me.
Part Of Success
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"Failure is PART of success, not the opposite."
Boss said this to me when I was in a funk at work. He knew I was feeling down about myself and wanted to do anything to bring me out of it. Honestly, one of the best bosses I've ever had. Still keep in touch with him from time to time.
Not Happy Pills
"Anti-depressants won't 'make you happy', they're not happy pills. They're like life preservers so you can focus on having fun at the pool party instead of drowning."
Having narrowly gotten through a crisis scenario and escorted to a student health center with nothing else to lose, I talked to my doctor about my hesitation to take meds. He said that and it flipped my depressed pre-conceived notion of "weakness" and medication on it's head.
Months later my chronic chronic depression and panic disorder were in remission, where they have remained for 6 years. :)
Needed To Hear Kind Words
''You're the best mommy ever. I'm glad you were born in this planet''
My little son told me that one day when my family made me cry. I never wanted him to see me crying but that day my family was so rude with me in front of him.
Sounds crazy but I really needed to hear kind words. My family used to criticize all the ideas or things I like. The unique approbation I need was my son's one.
When my child said those words I decided to left my home and start a new and nice life together far away. That's the choice we made and everything changed. It was time for being the best version of myself. He deserves a much better environment.
- selm_for
Get It Done
"If you get it done and over with, then the rest of the day is yours."
My dad when I use to complain that I never had enough time to do chores or I would put them off until my parents got home and they weren't done. On one particular day my mom was furious. She lit our @sses up like a Christmas tree.
I went to my room mad as hell at my mom. Then my dad came in and told me that quote up above.
The next day I got up, did my chores early, and had the rest of the day to myself.
My brothers didn't take that approach and when mom got home she let them have it.
I felt like a king of his own kingdom. I rode that smart @ss smile all week; then that week quickly became years. School became the same way.
"Just get it done and over with and you won't have to mess with it." I hear it in my dads voice.
I Watch What I Say
A small, warm hand on my mine.
My youngest looking up at me with large, solemn eyes and saying, "I'm not ready for you to go."
This was in response to a stupid comment I made... I have really debilitating migraines now and again. I said it was so bad, I wished I would just die.
And that was his response to my immature outburst. I watch what I say and how I word it now. Kids are so impressionable and it hurts my heart that I caused him sadness.'
Fingers Crossed
"I didn't lie, I had my fingers crossed."
This was said to me by my now ex wife about her cheating on me. It taught me that people will tell you what they want you to hear, and nothing more.
Ew
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While most are putting phrases that changed their lives in a good way, here's a bad one:
"Ew, ew, disgusting" - said by a girl who hated me. At the time I had huge acne problem which I was really self-conscious about, and that single phrase wrecked my confidence for a long time.
And even though we are good now and I consider her a friend, I still have no confidence in my appearance.
Liking And Learning
"You don't have to like someone to learn something from them."
It's helped me to try to look a little deeper at some people. Don't get me wrong I still cut out toxic people and don't associate with anybody I don't want to, but it does help to give me a more positive outlook as well as to add to my life experience.
"I Don't Have Problems"
About 13 years ago my marriage was falling apart. When I asked my wife at the time if she wanted to go to marriage counseling she said:
"I don't have problems- you do. I don't need counseling - you do. It's not about you and me, you don't have to tell me you love me - I really don't f*cking care - you can f*ck off ... and bring the boys with you - I'm sure they'd f*cking love it."
So I took her advice, went to counseling and brought my 2 young boys everywhere with me. They did, in fact, love it.
Her sentences, without a doubt, changed my life as I chose not to try and work on the marriage any more and we divorced a couple of years later.
Listen
"Shut the f*ck up and listen"
In the early 1980's I was 21 and complaining about how this WW2 vet would always want to tell me stories about the war. Another man who was in the group said "
I've known [WW2 vet] for 30 years, he's never once mentioned his time in the war to me - consider yourself lucky. Shut the f*ck up and listen".
I thought, "he's right" and I started to listen from then on. It got to be a habit and I've learned a lot from just listening to people.
- CQSteve
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