Luckily or not, we live on a planet full of conventional wisdom, rules, and norms that dictate how people should behave in certain situations. You know, the usual “don’t talk to shady strangers,” “don’t eat your boogers,” “look both ways before crossing the street,” and so on. They keep us from doing crazy things and getting in trouble, and they help us navigate the world in a sensible way. But what if we told you that sometimes, the best advice you could get on how to act in certain situations is the most… unconventional?
That’s where this list of weird advice comes in! Straight from Reddit, these life tips and tricks have been gathered from all corners of the world, from the wise mouths of grandfathers to people who learned precious lessons the hard way. Although most may sound odd at first, they actually have a surprising amount of truth behind them.
After careful consideration and enjoyable reading, we picked our favorite pieces of advice — all from the life experiences (and keyboards) of real people on Reddit. We promise they’re more fun than reading your horoscope every morning. It never hurts to broaden your horizons and give some new life tricks a chance, and this list of random advice is the perfect place to start. Without further ado, let’s go explore these unconventional bits of knowledge that, surprisingly, make sense!
#1
"My grandad lived to be 95. I asked him what the secret to a long happy life was. He told me to mind my own business."
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63points
#2
"I tell my daughter to add the word 'yet' after anything about lacking something.
'I don't know how to play this game.' Becomes 'I don't know how to play this game yet.' That sort of thing.
It's meant to redirect negative self admonishment into a drive to grow and learn. And apparently it's sinking in, because she will say something like 'Ugh, I can't make it up this hill!' while we're out bike riding and then catch me looking at her, give a big eye roll and go '...yet!' in the exact tone you think a teenage girl would use.
Then she ends up sometimes just rage-succeeding to prove the point, it's great. She's going to be at least 3 times better than me, low as that bar may be."
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61points
#4
“It isn’t your job to always find a way to make it work. Sometimes you need to let it fail to expose the bigger issues.”
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41points
#6
"To really find your perfect posture, imagine a claw machine is picking you up by your head, and act that out a bit. Screaming is optional."
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40points
#7
Ocsttiac said:
"When writing an e-mail, leave the recipient field until last."
"When writing an e-mail, leave the recipient field until last."
BMLortz replied:
"And add the attachments first!"
"And add the attachments first!"
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38points
#8
"Two from elderly southern relatives:
Somethin’ ain’t nothin’— taking 5 minutes to workout, clean, work on a big project, etc. is better than 0 minutes. We often think we’ve got to do 2 hours of rigorous work or it doesn’t accomplish anything.
Time will pass either way—if you want to work to get better at something, accomplish a long term goal, or change careers or credentials, don’t look at the 2-5 years and think you’ll be too old. If you’re 24 and want to go to college, you’ll be 28 in four years with or without a degree regardless of what you do in that time."
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37points
#9
"When you are really, really down, the rules of "how one does things" are out the window. Examples:
Body image issues? Shower in the dark.
Can't manage to make yourself a sandwich? Eat sandwich component out of the fridge.
Dirty laundry everywhere? Take off the laundry basket lid.
Can't talk on the phone? Make up phone persona and roleplay them. Include catchphrase.
Going to bed makes you nervous? Sleep on the couch.
Can't make up your mind about gifted clutter? Put in box, get back if you miss it, gift if not.
Brains are really, really weird. Sometimes the smallest thing can be a barrier that is impossible to overcome. Remove barrier, get through that terrible week like a well-fed, clean smelling human, build back from there."
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34points
#10
"If you can't decide between two equally good options, flip a coin. If you're disappointed with your result, go with the losing side."
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32points
#11
"If you’re in the woods, and you no longer hear subtle wildlife (i.e. birds, critters, etc.), leave. Leave immediately. Go back the way you came and do not look back.
Disclaimer: Many will think this advice pertains to the paranormal, and perhaps it does. But, the main purpose of this advice is because animals are much more in tune with their senses than we are. And if they sense danger of any kind, they’ll be the first to know and let you know. That’s why I felt it was a weird piece of advice; it’s something we don’t typically acknowledge until we’re in a situation that calls for it."
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32points
#12
"Make your bed every day. I used to think this was bullshit advice but I started doing it and it really does help me feel more productive for the day. I also like coming home to a neatly made bed. Feels good for some reason."
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31points
#13
"No one thinks about you as much as you do. Meaning we’re all worried about people thinking about the tiniest embarrassing things we do, when no one really cares. It gave me freedom to take on more challenges and not worry about failure."
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30points
#14
"Don't be cheap with things that hold you off the ground (shoes, beds and tires.)"
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29points
#15
ChasingAlnilam said:
"If you can't fight the fear, do it scared.
"If you can't fight the fear, do it scared.
Got me through a lot of anxiety."
dramaticFlySwatter replied:
"I tell myself my increased heart rate and racing thoughts are just signs that my body is priming itself to allow me to do something I didn't know I could do.
"I tell myself my increased heart rate and racing thoughts are just signs that my body is priming itself to allow me to do something I didn't know I could do.
I used to think they were signs to quit, but they're really an ignition sequence."
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27points
#16
RainingRetro said:
"If you need to remember something, write it 3x or say it out loud 3x.
"If you need to remember something, write it 3x or say it out loud 3x.
Always weird when you repeat something verbally 3x, especially names."
Lady-finger replied:
"Similarly, if you want to make sure others remember something, tell them three times.
"Similarly, if you want to make sure others remember something, tell them three times.
Tell them what you're going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you told them."
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25points
#17
"Even the people who love you can hold you back. It ain't being nasty, they just don't want to lose you or see you get hurt. They wanted the best for you without realizing their idea of what's best ain't necessarily that."
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25points
#18
"When someone tells you about their problem, just repeat what they said in your words. That person will like you more as a result. Works every time and everyone can do it."
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25points
#19
"A coworker told me that when someone has the hiccups you tell them "you're not a fish."
The amount of times this has worked has convinced me she's a witch. I have texted her at least a half-dozen times whenever it worked.
At one point while I had the hiccups and asked a friend to tell me I'm not a fish. Worked."
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22points
#20
"My wife changed my world a while back when dealing with a bad attitude from my son. She simply asked, 'What do you think is going to come from this?' I apply that to most things I do now."
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22points