9 Things Television Heroines Have Taught Us

Meredith Grey, Grey’s Anatomy

Sometimes you just need to dance it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzBFdCh64hg

Sometimes your life will suck! Your boyfriend’s wife will reappear, you’ll discover your estranged half-sister just started working at your job or someone might shoot your husband in the chest while you have a miscarriage.When life gets too hard the only thing you can do it dance it out. I adapted the therapy of dancing it out after watching twisted sisters Meredith Grey and Cristina Yang dance it out on Grey’s Anatomy. It may not make your problems disappear but it will bring a smile to your face. (Can we take a moment to recap the sweetness of Mer dancing it out with her sister and sister in law during the season 11 finally. My heart!)

 

Greys Anatomy, Christina Yang

Don’t let what he wants eclipse what you need.

The last things we got to hear Cristina say to Meredith before her season 10 departure, “Don’t let what he wants eclipse what you need He’s very dreamy but he’s not the sun, you are.” Often as women we find ourselves wanting to take on the supportive role even if that means ignoring our own needs. Women are the foundation of the world… if you don’t take care of the foundation it won’t be able to support anything. Your S.O.’s desires are important but what you need is too.

 

Jessica Day, New Girl

Sometimes you need to cry and watch dirty dancing.

When Jess caught her boyfriend cheating on her she had a full on healthy breakdown. She watched her favorite movie on repeat  and bawled her eyes out. A cry is the best way to wash out the bad and reset.

Blair Waldorf and Serena Vanderwoodsen, Gossip Girls

If you can’t fight and want to kill each other but still love each other the next then you aren’t really best friends.

Arguable two of the worst best friends in the history of teen dramedy, Blair and Serena have been through it all. The one thing that always touched fans was no matter how horrible the scheme or dramatic its outcome Serena and Blair always ended up in each others corner. The true definition of ride or die!

Leslie Knope, Parks and Rec

 Sometimes you have to rewrite the plan and that’s okay.

Remember how excited everyone was for Leslie when she won her seat on the Pawnee City Council and then remember the sadness of the recall. Leslie had spent her entire life planning to work her way to the iron throne of the white house but when she lost her position as a councilwoman she didn’t stop fighting for social justice in fact she takes her role with the park department to the next level and eventually becomes president, proving sometimes the plan B can still get you to your destination.

Lorelai Gilmore, Gilmore Girls

You won’t always make the right choice and that’s okay.

As much as I’d like to forget there was ever a time Lorelai and Luke weren’t together, it was hard to ignore when Lorelai did the unthinkable and married someone who wasn’t Luke! Marrying Christopher is one of those decisions that seems logical but just isn’t smart. He was the father of her child, her first love and unlike Luke really ready to get married at the time. Christopher had finally gotten his life together but all the signs pointed at her heart belonging to Luke. When she realized she made the wrong choice she she didn’t stay in a wrong situation out of obligation or try to play the victim she owned up to it and moved on.

Olivia Pope, Scandal
Sometimes all you need is good friends.

While I’ll probably never have the to face the drama of find outing my married president boyfriend has impregnated an intern, I do have my fair share of issues to deal with. No matter what goes down with O.P.A and associates they always have each others back back but she has wine and gets the job done. It makes me grateful for my group of friends.

Hannah, Girls
Sometimes the best thing you can say is “no.”

While most of Hannah’s choices have us screaming, “No… just don’t,” there was something so powerful about Hannah rejecting Adam at the end of season 4. While I love Adam and he’s fascinating as a character he and Hannah have one of the most unhealthy relationships in television history.When she finally has the moment of clarity standing over his newborn niece that she has to say no when he wants her back she makes one of the first healthy choices she has ever made in the relationship. As much as she loved Adam and as hard as it was she knew it was that in order to grow she needed to move on.

Daenerys Targaryen, Game of Thrones
You have to keep going.

There is a lot of controversy about women on Game of Thrones but no one can deny that Daenerys is a badass! First she is used by her brother regain the Iron Throne and traded like cattle into a marriage with a man who doesn’t even speak her language. She not only learned his language but makes him fall in love with her. After that unexpected twist she loses her husband and child to dark magic. This doesn’t slow her down she becomes mother of dragons and acquires an army. No matter what was thrown at her she kept going.