A lot of times, life can feel like it's crashing down. We lose faith in the people we know, and in ourselves. There is no one true solution, even though we all wish there was. How can we possibly pull ourselves together? Adult life is hard. In my times of self-doubt and anxiety, I've always turned to a very important TV show for me, "The Office." Before you say anything, don't think about all of the times Michael Scott made someone feel horribly uncomfortable with an offensive joke.
Think about how much love you had in your heart after watching Jim propose to Pam, or how sad you were when Michael finally said goodbye. I know that this is a show that revolves around life at a paper company in Scranton, PA, but I promise that it's much more than just a TV show. It's gotten me through so much in my own life, and here I have the most important lessons for you to use in yours.
1. Always be yourself.
You should never be afraid of who you are. Don't doubt who you are, because there are so many people who think you're truly fantastic. "The Office" works so well because every character has their own distinct personality. Not one character is alike. They all have their own quirks, and more importantly, flaws. Nobody is perfect and that's OK. You are unique and you are special, and there's not one single person on Earth who can be a better you.
2. Never be afraid to have fun.
A lot of times we think that post-high school life means we need to get our lives together and become a fully-functioning adult. However, that is definitely not the case. Life is full of so many wonderful experiences. There was never a moment at Dunder Mifflin where Jim wasn't pulling a prank on Dwight or Michael wasn't afraid to proclaim "That's what she said!" So go ahead and dance around or do a magic trick, because after all, laughter is the best medicine, and life is too short to be serious all the time.
3. Follow your dreams, no matter how unattainable they may seem.
It's hard trying to pursue something that not many people believe in. Andy always knew that he was destined for more in life, and he set out to achieve his dream, no matter what anyone said. He decided it was his time to be famous, and he took a huge risk, but eventually got what he wanted most: a job at Cornell. It's hard trying to go on when nobody believes in you, but when you believe in yourself is when the magic happens. It shows that if you have enough passion and confidence in yourself, you can achieve almost anything.
4. Get out of your comfort zone.
Life is easy when we play it safe. We don't have to worry about change, which is actually kind of scary. We follow our same schedule, eat the same meals, go to the same classes, and then do it all over the next morning. But sometimes, when we go outside of our comfort zone, our life changes for the better. Had Pam not told Jim how she felt, she would have never have had married her best friend and had two amazing children. We can't live life afraid of change, because without it, how can we grow? How can we face our fears? Sometimes facing your fears head on is the best decision we can make, and when we do something that's a little scary, we start to wonder why we were ever scared in the first place.
5. Your family is more than a blood relation.
Family is made up of the ones who share the same goals and virtues. They are the ones who are there for you through it all. At Dunder Mifflin Scranton, there weren't many things that Michael wouldn't do for his employees. He cared for them all, just as he would care for his own children. After 10 years, it would be hard to not call these people family. In the end, your family is ultimately made up of with whom you decide to live the rest of your life.
6. Don't ever give up on your happiness.
It seems simple, right? But more times than none, we're focused on making other people happy. We live to please someone who, at the end of the day, doesn't even matter that much. Jim and Pam are known for their perfect love story, but we very often forget that they went through a very rough time. Like any other real couple, Jim and Pam fought, and ultimately, grew apart. My favorite Jim and Pam moment will always be when Jim forgot an umbrella and Pam ran after to give it to him.
In that moment, things are tense and their relationship is strained, but Jim hugs Pam and the audience is given a montage of some very important Jim-Pam moments, and we are brought to where it all began. Pam, along with everyone watching, remembers how truly happy Jim has made her. Like Pam, you should never give up on something, or in this case, someone who makes you genuinely happy.
7. The most unexpected people are the ones that will mean the most.
We meet people all the time that may not give the best first impression. We fight, and many a time, we just don't seem to get along. However, sometimes, these people are the ones that stay in our lives for the long run. Dwight and Jim were mortal enemies, and yet Jim was the best man at Dwight's wedding, and Pam became his best friend. We see people for who we think they are, when in reality, they may be the people we've needed all along.
8. You will find love.
We've all been there. We spend so much time waiting for "the one" that we drive ourselves crazy, when in reality, our other half will come when we least expect it. At Dunder Mifflin, Pam found the love her life sitting five feet away from her. The love story of Jim Halpert and Pam Beesley is definitely one for the books. Dwight and Angela found love in the most unconventional way, but turned out to be one of the most important love stories throughout the run of the show. Even Michael Scott found the love of his life in Holly. It goes to show that no matter how alone we may feel, our person is out there somewhere, or maybe sitting just 10 feet away from us, waiting for the perfect moment.
9. Cherish every single moment.
You've probably been told this all your life. Live every moment to the fullest because soon, it'll be over. But we don't live our life thinking about every breath we take or every word we speak, because that's just pointless. This moment in the series finale suddenly makes the show seem like much more than a comedy about office hijinks. You finally begin to think about how the show is so much more than nine seasons or 201 episodes. It's years of laughter and tears, love and lust, and most importantly, it's family. As life goes on, always remember that everything can be lost in an instant. Don't wish you could be back in the good old days, but live them.
10. "Be strong. Trust yourself. Love yourself. Conquer your fears."
One of the last times Pam in onscreen, she talks about her journey throughout the series. She says that she hopes a little girl can learn from her mistakes and hopefully find her happiness much quicker than Pam did. The first time I watched "The Office," I vowed to myself that I would be that girl Pam talks about. Like everyone in the entire world, we all just want to be happy, and this is one of the easiest ways to achieve that happiness.
Be strong when your world is falling apart, trust yourself and the decisions you make, love yourself because you are special, and conquer your fears because you can achieve anything. Most importantly, we can't live life with regrets because, after all, "life isn't that long."
