In this day and age, television shows are slowly declining due to all of the content available on streaming websites, like a Netflix or Hulu. It feels like nowadays, television shows are getting canceled left and right. Right now, in order for a show to stay on the air, it has to be pretty great. One of these shows that have kept itself on the air just so happens to be my favorite show, Grey's Anatomy.
Grey's Anatomy has not managed to stay on the air for a couple of seasons, it has managed to stay on the air for fourteen seasons! Yes, fourteen! Don't let the number of seasons scare you away from watching the show. Trust me, when you start, you will not be able to stop. Although Grey's Anatomy is just a television show, meant for entertainment, it contains a plethora of life lessons that we could all benefit from.
For those who don't know what Grey's Anatomy is about, here is a quick synopsis. The show revolves around Meredith Grey, a surgical intern, and eventual resident. The show follows the day in a life of Meredith, and all of her fellow colleagues. Balancing a regular personal life is already hard enough, now imagine being a surgeon on top of that. The show includes a daily dose of comedy, romance, and tragedy. By tragedy, I mean tragedy.
This show will have you ugly crying basically every episode. Again, don't let that stop you from watching the show because, for as many sad moments, there are twice as many happy ones.
So now, let's get into 5 lessons that Grey's Anatomy has taught me!
1. Life is short
Grey's Anatomy has its fair share of on-screen deaths, and each one teaches us something different. Grey's does an amazing job of connecting its viewers to its characters. While watching the show, I forget sometimes that it's a show, and that everyone is acting. Therefore, when someone dies on screen, it affects its viewers on a personal level.
Grey's emphasizes that life is not a guarantee, it is short and can end at any time. As Izzie Stevens once said, "life is short, George. Life is short, and it sucks a lot of the time." The show wants its viewers to realize that you have to live every day to the fullest and spend your time doing what you love. Although not every day will not be great, you have to have faith that the good days will outnumber the bad.
2. Don't throw yourself a pity party
Grey's Anatomy teaches its audience that someone always has it worse than you. That no matter how bad you think your life is going, someone else's is probably worse. As Lexie Grey once said,
"You know, we all have problems. Moms die, and dads drink so much that they don’t even know what year they're in, and sisters… I didn't even know that there was a Meredith Grey until a couple of months ago. And she won't… She doesn’t even want to talk to me. I don't want to be here. You know, I… I'd give anything to not be here. You know, to… to have my life work out the way I planned, to even have time to ask, "What about me?" So, you… you change. You… you get over it. I'm here now! And you delivered a baby today! So, stop feeling sorry for yourself.”
Grey’s never fails to remind its viewers that no one is coming to your self-pity party, so just save yourself the time and energy, and don't have one.
3. Your actions don’t define you
Grey's Anatomy is a show set in a hospital, and as humans, we tend to think that everyone that works in a hospital has to be pretty perfect. We tend to forget that doctors are still humans, and they make mistakes just like the rest of us. Just because someone makes a mistake, whether they are a doctor, teacher, or janitor, they should not be solely judged by that mistake.
As Miranda Bailey once said, “you did a terrible thing, it doesn't mean you're a terrible person.” Humans are hardest on themselves, but we have to remember that it's okay to make a mistake every once and a while. It's important to remember that who you are is not where you have been, and your actions do not define you.
4. Change is scary, but necessary
Most people don't like change, as humans, we don't like being pushed out of our comfort zone. Once we find a routine, a place, or a way to live life, that works for us, we don't want it to change. Most of the time, change is usually associated with a loved one not being present anymore, which scares mostly everyone. The same goes for the characters of Grey's Anatomy.
Change is scary to anyone, even neurosurgeons. As Meredith Grey once said, “It's one of those things that people say, you can't move on until you let go of the past. Letting go is the easy part, it's the moving on that's painful. So sometimes we fight it, try and keep things the same. Things can't stay the same though. At some point, you just have to let go. Move on. Because no matter how painful it is, it's the only way we grow."
5. Women are anything but weak
The role of women in Grey's Anatomy is a major one. The women of Grey's Anatomy do not only dominate in the show, they are dominating in the real world. Ellen Pompeo, the actress who plays Meredith Grey, just signed a deal with her shows executives that has officially made her the highest paid actress on television.
She brings home 20 million dollars a year, that's a quaint 575 thousand dollars per episode. Pompeo did not get this check easily though, she had to fight for what she deserved, and demanded to be paid as if gender was not a factor. Grey's has been portraying feminist ideas since the very first episode. This show really teaches its audience that talent does not rely on color, race, religion, or gender. Everyone is capable of excellence.
Well, that's it, those are 5 life lessons I have learned from Grey’s Anatomy. I would really recommend anyone reading this to start the show, and I promise you will not regret it!
