While we watch television to have a good laugh or get into a good story, a lot of television characters say things that are so relatable to our lives. People usually do not consider television for a good quote, but some of our favorite characters have said something on how we should live our lives.
I watched some old shows and picked the six best quotes that talk about how to live life. There are plenty of shows with memorable quotes, but these are the ones that had the most important life lessons.
1. On moving forward with your life.
“Sometimes in life you’ll make a pit for someone in your mind, but ultimately the only one in that pit is yourself. Which means, there is only one person who can let you out of the pit.”
-Ted Mosby, "How I Met Your Mother"
An important lesson not many of us take to heart. There will be a time in our lives where someone will say how we cannot or will not be able to achieve something. That makes you want to prove them wrong and obsess over them (throwing them in a mental pit). However, in that obsession with proving someone wrong, we end up in our mental pit because we choose to let ourselves be bogged down by what someone said. At the end of the day, only we can let go of what someone else thought of us and get out of our pit.
2. On staying true to yourself.
“Let’s get one thing straight. The only person who gets to talk in sentence fragments around here is me.”
- Felicity Smoak, "Arrow"
I could probably find a more meaningful quote from Felicity for this, but this one does a better job of making the lesson clear. We all have or say something that can be a little bit quirky (for Felicity, it is usually having everything she says be a double entendre), but we cannot allow ourselves to let people change who we are. Like saying lame jokes? Do it! Talk in sentence fragments like Felicity? Do it! One thing you should not do is not be true to yourself.
3. On perseverance.
“You can’t just give up! Is that what a dinosaur would do?”
- Phoebe Buffay, "Friends"
Okay, now I am sure Phoebe could use a few lessons about dinosaurs from Ross. However, what she says there hits the point about not giving up. There are times where you might face a situation that can be difficult and you may feel like quitting. However, it is important to not give up when things get tough. It is better to try instead of giving up and not knowing what might have been!
4. On letting go of the negative things in your life.
“Why not just say goodbye to the bad things? Say goodbye to all the times you felt lost, to all the times it was a ‘no’ instead of a ‘yes,’ to all the scrapes and bruises, to all the heartache. Say goodbye to everything you really want to do for the last time…and the good things will always be here waiting for you.”
-Lily Aldrin, "How I Met Your Mother"
Of course this show made it into my list at least twice because it gives so much advice about life. When you are trying to move forward, it is important to let go of all the negativity in your life. Your past does not define your future. Take this advice from Lily. Say goodbye to anything you want to do for the last time. The good times are always ahead, you just need to stop the bad things from weighing you down.
5. On life being crazy, enjoy the ride.
“Take chances, make mistakes, get messy.”
- Ms. Frizzle, "The Magic School Bus"
The wording of that lesson could not be more perfectly paired with the beloved Ms. Frizzle (you know, life is a crazy ride, like Ms. Frizzle’s field trips). She is right. There are times when things can get unpredictable and you may have to take a chance on something. Sometimes, things go well. Other times, you will make a mistake. Just because you made a mistake, it does not mean you are going to ruin your whole life. Life is about making mistakes and learning from them!
6. On fear.
“You never want your kids to see you scared. You want to be that rock that they grab a hold of in a stormy sea. Actually, a rock would sink. So a floating rock.”
- Phil Dunphy, "Modern Family"
It is only natural that we have fears in life. I think we all have our fair share of those. However, we cannot allow those fears to rule our lives. Take a page from Phil’s book. Put aside your fears and help others overcome their fears. Be a “floating rock” so you can help people conquer fear!
There are plenty of times where we see television as a form of entertainment. However, many characters go through situations we face in our lives. These quotes show how these characters realize the struggles of life and how we should take some of their insightful advice!
