Picture this, someone comes up to you and says something along these lines: “Hey, I would like to talk to you about something, is that ok?” This person is probably going to be your friend or someone very close to you. Your automatic instinct will be to provide advice to this person. The first instinct you should automatically have is to listen to this person. To remain quiet and simply be there for that person. They do not need someone to tell them what to do, they need to get that specific weight off of their shoulders.
It has been scientifically proven that most people will not follow advice. That no matter what you tell them, they will follow what they believe is best for them. This will show their strength in character, as well as their courage and unique personality traits. If they do follow specific advice, then they were desperately seeking it. In the case that they do need advise, do not think about yourself or what you would do in their situation. Think about them and what would make them happy. This is a time where you need to show true empathy and think about others.
