What's The Best Advice Your Mom Ever Gave You?

I actually think about the best advice my mom gave me all the time. I was 18, and about to go off to college. My 40-year-old schoolgirl crush — my "mentor" at an after-school program — had just asked me over to his place, where he told me he planned to cook me dinner ... and seduce me.

Amazingly, I went to my mom for advice about whether or not I should do it. To her credit, my mom didn't freak out. She simply asked me how I felt about the prospect of putting myself in that situation.

"Well, I know it might be a little beyond what I'm ready for, but I just feel like, what if I always regret being too afraid to have the experience, you know?"

My mom nodded, and took a deep breath. Then she gave me the advice I'll always remember: "It took me a long time to realize this, but sometimes the experience IS saying no."

It was just the loophole I'd needed to give myself the permission to admit I wasn't ready. I think of her advice to this day every time I find myself wondering, "Do I really want to do this right now?"

So in honor of Mother's Day, I decided to take to the streets of New York City and ask people hanging out in Union Square Park the simple question: What's the best advice your mom has ever given you?

The most popular answer? Trust your gut.

Fortune, 25

"Not how I met my husband, but good advice."

Jamelia, 25

"I wish I'd listened. I'll tell my kids."

Maya, 24

"You always can."

Christian, 21

Ben, 29

Anna, 30

Lily, 20

Pierrot, 15

Laura, 21

Renato, 24

"I'm doing it every day."

Travis, 25

Nick, 25

Roxanne, 16

Kinsey, 31

Hannah, 21

Mark, 26 & Hannah (His Wife)

Keeley, 26

Kelly, 27

Susan, 23

Adam, 25 & His Mom

Charlotte, 28

Kressy, 16

Miranda, 38

Madeline, 23

"What she always asks me when I ask for advice."

Kristin, 22

Jess, 25

Yanique, 32

"What my Trinidadian grandmama told me."

Mark, 31 & Son

Karen, 41 & Her Mom, Joan 71

Gerben, 32

Lena, 30

Rose, 20

Madi, 20

Cam, 20

Florence, 25

Aly, 21

"I'm totally not wearing any right now."

Molly, 20

Jenoi, 30 & Aliana, 5

Ken, 57

Emily, 19

"Wait, is Mother's Day tomorrow?"

JL, 29

Domanica, 37

Happy Mother's Day!

Images: Rachel Krantz/Bustle