At which point in our lives do we start to give advice? When do we cross the threshold that makes us stop searching for advice and start giving it instead? There will be times in our life when we do one more than the other because of the role we are in; be it parent, child, employer, friend.
More often than not I seem to be giving advice - having been asked for it of course; I'm not just dolling out my tuppence worth to all and sundry because the sun is shining! I don't consider myself to be any particular guru either but as the years roll by it's the experiences that you have which enable you to share your point of view.
So trying to think about the best advice given to me is hard because I have possibly frittered away any advice given to me as pupil and it's now lost in the sands of time; I have been given plenty of guidance from wiser teachers than myself about coping in the classroom and with workload; and then there were the most brilliant and honest offerings just prior to childbirth. How could I possibly settle on one piece - each one relevant and necessary in its own time and space?
Then I remembered this one : You can do anything that you put your mind to.
Yes it's simple. But when it's been said to me the stress has been on the word 'you'. I suppose most people would put the stress on 'anything' but, when it's been said to me, the person saying it has been 100% behind me and is rubbishing away the doubts I have. So then the focus switches from what it is I'm doing to the fact that I am able to achieve. I've heard it said since I was a child, throughout my teenage years, as I stepped out into my career, approaching motherhood, passing 40. I believe so whole-heartedly in these words that I use them, carefully, with my own children, family and friends. In fact, during some current difficult times, it's become a bit of a morning mantra. And so far it's working.
This post is linked with #post40Bloggers #writingprompt6:the piece of advice that has meant the most to you
