How I Met Your Mother is a show that I unknowingly surrendered a piece of my heart to sometime while obsessively binge watching seasons 1-8, only to have that piece wrenched apart by the time I finished season 9. All you HIMYM fans know what I'm talking about. However, season 9 was so frustrating that we tend to forget how amazing all the other seasons were, and we also forget how much we learned from the series.
1. It's okay if your life is a mess
Ted Mosby was one of the hardest people to discourage when it came to love life and his passion for architecture. Between getting left at the alter, losing his dream job, and being forced to watch the former love of his life get married to his best friend, it’s hard to believe that Ted would ever get what he wanted out of life. However, even Ted’s messy life turned out okay in the end.
2. If your life is a mess, it's okay to get some help
Your friends are your friend for a reason. Let them be there for you.
3. Getting your dream job can be a very, very long process
You’re going to have jobs that you will absolutely loathe before you get the job that you love. Robin Scherbatsky is a prime example of how much hard work it’s going to take to finally get where you want to be.
4. You are awesome and deserve a self-five every now and then
5. Sometimes friendships are hard to keep, but that doesn't mean they're not worth it
6. When in doubt, blame Patrice
7. Relationships are about sacrifice and compromise
If there’s anything I learned from Marshall and Lily (other than the fact they're #goals), it’s that sometimes you have to give up something you love in order to make a marriage work. You no longer have your own goals and wants to consider, but also those of your partner. It will be difficult, and you will fight about it, and sometimes you're going to want to "pause" life because you don't want to deal with it, but in the end it’s worth it if it means you both will get to be happy and keep your relationship working.
8. Slapsgiving is the greatest holiday of all time
9. Friendships change and there's nothing you can do about it, but that's okay
The last season of HIMYM was one of the saddest seasons I have ever watched of any show, and not for the same reason that most people think it’s sad. As each of the members of the gang went their separate ways and started living their own lives, their friendships with each other became more distant and everything was different. The group of people that once spent every day with each other andhared everything with, suddenly became people they used to be best friends with. But whenever they did reunite, as infrequent as it was, it was easy to catch up and continue their friendship right where they left off. They were each happy with their new lives, and were excited to get updated on everyone else’s lives. How I Met Your Mother taught me that even though our most important relationships will inevitably change, there are still some foundational parts that will never falter, and I find great comfort in that.
