15 people share life advice that seemed absurd at first but turned out to be life-changing

The word "advice" can feel off-putting, especially to younger generations, since it’s often seen as boring or annoying. But in a world full of predictable approaches to life, unconventional advice might just be the key to finding happiness. Society often encourages us to stay within our comfort zones, so advice to step outside of them can seem strange at first. However, it's through embracing discomfort that we experience real growth, leading to true happiness, peace, and self-discovery.

Advice like "take life lightly" or "don’t overwork yourself" might seem frivolous at first. But this mindset could actually reduce stress and strengthen our relationships. So, what seems like an outlandish philosophy turns out to be extremely meaningful and necessary for us once we have that moment of realization. So when, u/SnakeDoc1 asked the Reddit community, "What’s a piece of advice that you’ve heard, which sounded crazy at first, but turned out to be life-changing?" several interesting responses came in. Looks like, many have had such "moments of realization" after they initially underestimated the pieces of advice and here are the 15 best responses among them.

1. Aim for the stars

'If they are willing to hire you, then they're willing to train you.' I had a bad habit of taking jobs that were low-pay and low-skill and thought that that was all I was capable of because I never completed college nor did I get much real world/work skills. I started applying for jobs that wanted experience or education, a lot didn't respond, but I ended up getting a job that I wouldn't have ever thought I would get. -u/Mix_Master_Floppy.

2.  Let them

Let them. Let them talk bad. Let them be angry. Let them think whatever they want about you. Live your own life. -u/Odd-communication-45.

3. Self-respect comes first

'Dump her back!' -my grandfather. His response when I told him my girlfriend broke up with me for another guy. I thought 'What!' A few months later she tried to reconcile. I dumped her back. -u/frederick_ungman.

4. The importance of sleep

Get eight full hours of sleep every night. It didn't sound 'crazy' but I had not realized how much of an impact it actually had. -u/Angenel

5. Some things can't be controlled

I was once stuck in a traffic jam at the start of a long road trip with a friend. I kept doing the math in my head and it came up that I'd be late for an event even if I sped most of the way. My friend said, 'You are exactly where you are supposed to be.' Hearing that stayed with me. It has helped me with acceptance and not trying to control things as much. And no, maybe it isn't exactly true. I probably wouldn't say that to, say, someone with terminal cancer. But I would try to accept that there is much in life we do not control. -u/Accomplished-Cat3996

6. Hack to make friends

If you want people to like you don’t offer to do them favors, ask them for favors. It seems crazy but it works, it’s called the Franklin effect, named for Ben Franklin who pointed it out. -u/Goddamnpassword

7. Love yourself

'Treat yourself like you would your best friend.' Sounds cheesy, but once I stopped being my own worst critic, things got a whole lot better. -u/Nyx_Enchant

8. Actions over target

A girl was practicing archery and kept messing up and the instructor told her, 'You’re failing because you’re too focused on the target and not your own actions.' She proceeded to say that it was the best life advice she had ever gotten. -u/leminoah

9. Significance of discipline

Routines and discipline are better than motivation when it comes to things you might not like or enjoy doing. I learned this from my dad who has a military education. -u/Humble-Tourist-3278

10. Marry the right one

'Don’t marry someone you wouldn’t want to divorce.' What she meant was: marry someone you know would treat you well even if things went south. If the unthinkable happened and you had to split, would this person still act with integrity and treat the situation fairly? Solid. -u/stepinthenameofmom

11. It's okay to be rejected

'Rejection is redirection.' I used to have the worst rejection sensitivity and fear of rejection. When I heard this the first time, I was like, 'Dude shut up. Rejection sucks. There’s no silver lining.' But after a few important ones, I realized this was super true. -u/mushroomiesss.

12. Prioritize your peace

Someone once told me, 'You don’t have to attend every argument you’re invited to.' At first, it sounded like I was just avoiding conflict, but it taught me the power of choosing peace over unnecessary drama. Life-changing realization! -u/LushDreamer85

13. The art of money management

'You should learn to save money and good money management.' Best to learn it while your young, so that it secures your future. Something I learned too late. -Reddit user

14. Be a bit mysterious

Don’t let anyone know you too well, have a mysterious side, as they could use your insecurities against you. -u/srqrtls

15. Bad decisions speak for themselves

'If a problem was created by a bad decision, don't be too quick to fix it.' Safety always comes first, obviously, but if someone is making a bad decision that will waste time/money then make sure you're not solving the problem without raising the issue first. Sometimes you'll need to go as far as letting the bad thing happen if people don't believe you, but cover yourself with documentation of the problem first. -u/Histidine