Why is it so hard to give advice to people closest to you?Today, I had two arguments - one with my brother and the other with a close friend I had known for over 15 years.All I was doing was trying to ensure they avoid the mistakes and problems I had already encountered.  But it blew back in my face.....and I ended up having to defend myself.    Now, I am so perplexed!!!I can provide advice to my business clients and I get pay for it, but I can not provide free advice to those closest to me without getting into an argument.Just wondering why and whether this is common!!

Van, once you give your advice to friends and family, back off a little, and allow them to take in the information you have shared with them.

All you can do is express your opinion/advice, you can't force them to follow it.

You shouldnt take it personally if they dont agree, allow them to learn from their own mistakes.

Sometimes people don't want to be told what to do. You may be right and maybe you can help them . . . but some people just need to work things out for themselves.

Remember my words . . . . "Keep on smilin'"

Sometimes experience is the best teacher. You can give em advice till they're blue in the face...and it'll end up going out the other ear. You can only do so much man.

Hang in there!

It's common, and sometimes you have to step aside and allow people to make their own mistakes.

so true!

you tell a child not to touch a hot stove/fire...but they do..and then they learn.

sometimes words just are not enough!

(have you ever seen a sign that said " do not touch!...wet paint!"..and touched it to test if it was true?

I am guilty of touching fire and wet paint..lol

I think we all are.

It's hard to give advice to family or those that are close to you.

I hope everything works out allright!

Why is it so hard to give advice to people closest to you?

....or do u mean its hard to convince them to follow up on your advice?

think about this..."people are not in this world to live up to your expectations and your not in this world to live up to theirs..."

i give advise all the time...if they dont follow my advice? great!...if they decide to follow up...double great!!

usually its safer to offer advice to ppl only when they ask for advice...cause its pretty smug runnin around offering advice to ppl when all they want is empathy and not sympathy.

or...u can forget this crap...and just say...Well F**K you *****! Thats the last time ill give u advice! BYE!

to quote "its incredible mike" (from amazing discoveries)... sometimes you have to step aside and allow people to make their own mistakes....

R e s p e c t!

Thanks for all the great feedback....I will definitely reflect on all the things said and aim to improve next time.

maybe they know u too well...

have no idea ... hehe

Wanna read "difficult conversation : getting to yes"? Sometime to comminicate with those we love is even harder than communicate with the stranger (also clients etc)