Warning: There may be spoilers ahead!
We’re 15 seasons into Grey’s Anatomy, and I’ve noticed that the show does actually dish out some pretty good advice (along with the nail-biting drama and steamy relationships they torment us with). Here are a few snippets of Grey’s advice that I’ve picked up throughout the many, many times I’ve watched the show!
1. S/he’s not the sun, you are.
As much as you love your partner, your life is yours and it’s up to you to make sure you shine. Not even post-it love is worth compromising your needs.
2. Embrace your sexuality.
Love women? Cool. Love men? Cool. Love men and women? Also cool. Who are we to judge?
3. Stop waiting for life to come to you.
Life won’t slow down, and it won’t wait for you either. You won’t get a second chance to say or do everything you want to. After all, wild cards (like illness and plane crashes) happen, so tomorrow’s never a guarantee.
4. Don’t measure success in wins or losses.
Our success isn’t measured by the awards we win (Though, hey, we’re not turning those down! *cough* Cristina was robbed of the Harper Avery Award *cough*). We should truly measure success in life or death – all we’ve got to do to succeed is survive.
5. Sharks don’t swim backwards.
OK, maybe the Discovery Channel taught us this fun fact first, but the Grey Sloan team brings it to life. When life presents us with a path, we can either choose to face our fears of the unknown, stay stagnant, or double back to safety. Be a shark. Choose the unknown.
6. Chase your dreams even if they’re different than they once were.
We’re only human, so we all make mistakes. Sometimes, life has to slap us in the face for us to discover what it is we really need, but hey, it’s not always so bad. After all, Ben Warren’s dreams changed twice, and what did that get him? A spin-off!
7. Your past doesn’t define you.
What happened in your past happened, and you can’t travel back in time. The person you choose to become and the choices you choose to make are all that truly matter.
8. Find your person.
Yeah, this is a Grey’s staple, but it couldn’t be more true. Find your person and hold on to them. You may find you’ve got more than one person, and that’s great, too. Hell, you may have a whole tribe! You may not spend every moment together, and you may not even always like each other all that much, but that close friend will always be your person.
9. You can survive anything.
We all know that life gets hard sometimes. OK, a lot of times. And sometimes, it throws us a bunch of giant obstacles as a cosmic “screw you.” But if you keep breathing and keep moving, you can get through anything life has to offer. After all, if Meredith can survive drowning, a bomb in a body cavity, a crazed gunman, a plane crash, giving birth in a superstorm, losing her husband, and still be an award-winning surgeon, all while raising three kids, we can survive anything.
10. When in doubt, dance it out.
Whether you’re dealing with stress, turbulent emotions, rocky relationships, or you simply want to feel free, a 30-second dance party will help relieve the tension every time.
The doctors and patients of Grey Sloan Memorial have faced tons of challenges and obstacles, so it’s not surprising that they’ve worked out a few ways to make life seem a little less scary. So next time you’re binge-watching this amazing series, see what words of wisdom you can find hidden in your favorite Grey’s episodes!
Featured image via Grey’s Anatomy on Instagram
