Sex and the City defined womanhood for a generation. The show was relatable and honest, and every woman could identify with at least one of the main characters. The show went off the air 12 years ago and we haven’t been graced with a film since 2010, but the life lessons Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda taught us will always remain relevant to our lives.
There are 9 things Sex and the City gave us to live by:
1. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.
Samantha was often the victim of prejudice when it came to her…free spirit. But she had no problem putting people in their place when they crossed the line. While we may not all agree with Sam’s choices, we can all learn something from her pride, dignity, and badass attitude.
2. Don’t let men hold you down.
If a man can’t see your worth and lets you go, don’t let it hold you down. Let go of the men who don’t choose you because you deserve someone who does. Let it go, move on, and find a way to heal yourself. Your heart will be open to new possibilities that are 100 times better for you.
3. Shopping is a girl’s best friend.
If the Sex and the City girls taught us anything (and we know they taught us more than a few things,) it’s that next to girl talk over cosmos, shopping is the greatest form of therapy. It’s exciting, joyous, and physical exercise that we don’t have to talk ourselves into all rolled into one.
4. Love yourself.
Here’s something you don’t hear often: it’s okay to be selfish. You’re the only person who knows exactly what you need and how you feel, and you have a responsibility to yourself. You need to take care of your needs because you only get one shot at building a life that will make you happy. Sometimes you can love someone so much and it’s still not the right thing for you. Caring about others and loving them is important, but don’t let it stop you from taking care of yourself.
5. Don’t be ashamed of your success.
There is nothing worse than busting your ass to achieve something, and then having someone try to make you feel bad about it. Whether they’re trying to make you feel like you don’t deserve it or blaming you for their own personal failures, don’t put up with it. You don’t have to apologize, explain, or devalue yourself for anyone, ever. Own your success because you damn well earned it and if people have a problem with it, they’re just jealous.
6. Don’t worry about what the world thinks.
Fact: not everyone is going to like you. Not everyone is going to support and agree with your life choices. Honestly, you will more than likely meet several people who are very much opposed to your way of life. Screw ‘em. Be proud of who you are and what you believe, regardless of what anyone else says or does. People are going to talk about you behind your back, it’s going to happen. Ignore it, let it go, move on, and do you.
7. Looks are nothing compared to what’s on the inside.
Let’s get one thing straight, the SATC girls are always on point. Their hair, makeup, clothes, and most importantly, shoes, are fabulous 100% of the time. However, they are also all badass, strong, super awesome women. They all embody the qualities that anyone would love to have in a best friend, they’re good to the men in their lives, and they’re in tune with who they are. Even if they weren’t stunning, they would be the type of people we’d want around us and they know that’s what really counts.
8. Get your priorities straight.
When Big FINALLY proposed to Carrie, as unconventional as the proposal itself was, there was something even crazier. Carrie didn’t want a ring, she wanted a really big closet. Let this be a lesson ladies, diamonds may be forever but walk-ins are a girl’s best friend. Don’t feel like you have to follow the norms because everyone else does. Be comfortable enough in your desires to build the life you want, no matter how different.
9. What’s done is done.
These ladies have quite a bit of history. They dated around, slept around, had falling-outs, downfalls, and challenges. But one thing they knew how to do was forgive and forget. They forgave each other when necessary, forgave others who had done them wrong, and perhaps most importantly, forgave themselves for their own mistakes. Sure, they sometimes needed each other’s encouragement to navigate their way through tough spots but that’s what friends are for.
Sex and the City will eventually just be “one of those old shows” but it’s lessons will always be relatable. We all will confront the challenges these women did at some point; careers, men, families, health challenges, personal struggles, and even which pair of shoes to buy. As we get older and work on figuring out who we are and what we want, we should carry the things we learned along with us.
Featured Image via Sex and the City.
