Say What?: Best/Worst Advice

Advice:

guidance or recommendations concerning prudent future action, typically given by someone regarded as knowledgeable or authoritative.

However, not everyone is knowledgeable or authoritative in the subject in which they are trying to advise you on. We all know those people who always seem to know what to do in every situation. You receive their unsolicited advice about everything in your life from career to relationships. If we really sat down we could go on and one about the worst pieces of advice we’ve received. However, we thought we would share some just a few of the best and worst advice we’ve gotten.

 Donni

It’s okay to drive if you’re drunk – just close one eye.

Say what? Closing one eye will not make you a  better drunk driver! Just don’t do it! Call an Uber/ Lyft or your best friend that decided to stay in and Netflix binge.

You’d be a better dancer, if you lost some weight.

In college a dance teacher told me that I didn’t have the right body for dance – my thighs and hips were too big. No, they were too big for her. I’ve seen beautiful dancers of varying ethnicities that don’t have the “typical” ballet body. And now enter Misty Copeland, the first African-American woman to be named a principal in the 75-year history of American Ballet Theater.

I hope dance instructors are taking note of all the barriers Misty is breaking and showing young girls that a curve or two won’t stop them from accomplishing their dreams.

 Ace

Ace

“Walk like you love yourself.”

My mama yelled this out of the car one day as I was crossing the street. Men old enough to be my grandfather would cat call me when I was young, and it was super embarrassing. I was probably walking like I was afraid of my own body, because I didn’t want to draw attention. I can hear her saying this every time I’m slouched over in a chair or when I walk into a room full of people.

It matters, but not that much!” -Mr. Filmore

I was a straight A student all of my life  Halfway through high school I began to put extra pressure on myself –  I needed more extracurriculars and better grades, if I was going to get scholarships. Then I attended a program called college experience where a program leader said that quote everyday. All the things I was stressing about mattered, but only to a certain extent. I learned to exhale and focus only on the things I could control.  Note: Mr. Filmore would stroll around the College of Charleston campus in Easter Sunday suits and a fedora (licking an ice cream cone) in the 90+ degree heat of Charleston claiming he wasn’t hot. I’m not hot! You must be hot! If you think cool, you will be cool! He would also crumple peppermint candy wrappers in your ear and yell Get yo hand out my pocket while we practiced taking SATs so feel free to question what authority he had to offer advice.

 “If you don’t see a clear path for what you want, sometimes you have to make it yourself.” – Mindy Kaling

Let’s be clear my mom and dad, as well as a few teachers have always told me to be my own person and to be a trailblazer. However, in the event a rising senior stumbles across the blog looking for a senior quote for the yearbook and doesn’t want to quote my mom, I thought Mindy would work.  In the age of brands empowering young girls (Always’ Like a Girl) and #Girlboss or #bossbabe, I try to remind myself daily that no matter how society would like to limit me, there’s always a new path I can make to steer me to my dreams.

So what’s some of the best/worst advice you’ve received? Leave a comment below or tweet us @PalmsinATL.

and