10 Life Lessons I've Learned From Carrie Bradshaw

Monday, January 5, 2015

My biggest, wildest dream has always been to be Carrie Bradshaw. Ever since I watched my first episode of Sex & the City, I have idolized Carrie. Her confidence, her apartment, her man, her job, her closet -- I wanted it all! Fast forward about 9 or so years, and not much has changed. Just tonight, while talking to my bff Elizabeth, I casually dropped into the conversation how much blogging makes me feel a teeny tiny bit closer to achieving my dream of morphing into Carrie Bradshaw.

Seriously. That closet.

Thinking about all of this makes me giggle a little bit, but in all honesty, why? Carrie Bradshaw is a fantastic role model. Sure she made a ton of mistakes throughout the series, but ultimately, she was an icon. There's a reason the series is still successful to this day. Carrie is the epitome of "girl power". She had an amazing writing career, incredible friendships, and the strongest sense of self of any fictional character I know.



Today, I'm going to share 10 of the best pieces of advice, or life lessons, that I have learned from Miss Carrie Bradshaw.

disclaimer: If you've never seen Sex & the City 1) um... what? and 2) call me up ASAP - I have the collectors edition and a few bottles of red ... or we can make cosmopolitans (her signature cocktail). Seriously, we'll have ladies night.



10 Life Lessons I've Learned From Carrie Bradshaw

1, It's a totally wonderful thing to be a strong, single woman.

"Being single used to mean that nobody wanted you. Now it means you're pretty, sexy, & you're taking your time deciding how you want your life to be & who you want to spend it with"

What an important lesson to learn in your early twenties. This time last year I was going through a strange phase in my life. All of my best friends were happily coupled off. One was married, one was engaged, and one was in a wonderful relationship with a man who adored her. Then there was me.... alone. I envied my friend's happiness and relationships and hoped that one day I would be as lucky. While it is definitely a great feeling to be in a secure, healthy relationship with a person who thinks you're the sun and the moon, it is equally wonderful to be alone and to be secure with that. Being single and confident in yourself is an amazing feeling. The biggest thing this taught me is that my time is valuable and that I am wonderful. Single and fabulous (exclamation point)!

2. It is 100% okay not to be a perfect, domestic, stepford wife.

"I will never be the woman with the perfect hair who can wear white & not spill on it"

Those friends I referred to above? Yes. Those girls are the definition of domestic goddesses. I, on the other hand, am a mediocre cook (at best), a decent baker, and I do not think of my life 5 years in the future. Don't get me wrong, I think that being a little bit stepford wife-y is fantastic -- I just will never be that girl. For example, I recently decided that I would buy crisp, beautiful, white sheets to match my beautiful white comforter... the actual, literal night that I purchased these sheets, I may or may not have spilled red white all over (spoiler alert: I did). But you know what? I like myself, messes and all.

3. Your true friends will always be there for you, throughout every season of your life.

"They say nothing lasts forever, dreams change, trends come and go, but friendships never go out of style"

I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. Nothing better than true friends who will always love you even if you suck sometimes. (Shout out to Kourtney, Elizabeth, and Elizabeth for being literally the best).

4. Just because people move on and chase their dreams, it doesn't mean that they will no longer be a huge part of your life.

"After all, seasons change, so do cities. People come into your life & people go, but it's comforting to know that the ones you love are always in your heart & if you're very lucky, a plane ride away."

No matter where life takes you, the people who truly matter will always be there for you to celebrate all of the important matters in your life. I am so fortunate to have girlfriends who are so supportive of my decisions and goals and these girls know that I back them 100% no matter what. How lucky am I?

5. It is so important to love yourself before you can expect anyone to love you.

"The most exciting, challenging, & significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself...& if you find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous"

There is no sense being in a relationship if you feel you have to hide your flaws or insecurities from your significant other. In order to be in a truly rewarding relationship, I think that is is so, so, so important to be totally, completely, comfortable with yourself first. 

6. Just because a relationship doesn't last, doesn't mean that your feelings are/were invalid.

"Some love stories aren't epic novels. Some are short stories, but that doesn't make them any less filled with love."

Just because something doesn't last forever, doesn't mean it wasn't an important time in your life. People come into our lives for a reason and sometimes that reason is hard to see in the present moment. Everyone teaches us some sort of lesson. What we take away from each failed relationship is what is truly important and significant; just because it didn't work out in the long run, doesn't mean that the feelings were never there/

7. It is okay to leave some things in the past.

"Maybe the past is like an anchor holding us back. Maybe you have to let go of who you were to become who you will be."

While everything and everyone we meet teaches us a lesson of some sort, some people just aren't meant to stay in our lives forever. It is 100% okay to cut people out of your life if they do not fit into your dreams. If someone isn't willing to support you and your crazy ideas, do you really need to make it a priority to keep them in your life?

8. You are perfect just the way you are. You do not need to conform to any societal norms to make other people happy.

"Maybe some women aren't meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free til they find someone just as wild to run with them."

There is no reason in life to be anything but happy. Do everything you want to do. Do them with the people who want to do these things with you. Don't change who you are or what you want for someone else.

9. Never judge another person's relationship.

"When it comes to relationships, maybe we're all in glass houses & shouldn't throw stones because you can never really know. Some people are settling down, some are settling, and some people refuse to settle for anything less than butterflies."

It is so easy to have an opinion about every aspect of your friends' relationships. It's so easy to look from the outside and judge the decisions people make, but why? Everyone has their own quirks or problems, it's a part of life. As long as our friends are happy, what other business do we have sticking our nose where it doesn't belong? I think the major lesson here is to learn to be supportive. If your friends are happy, that is all that matters.

10. Sometimes you have to make not-so-logical decisions. Sometimes you have to follow your heart.

"Sometimes you gotta quit thinking so much. If it feels right, it probably is. So just go with it."

& as a bonus.... my all-time favorite, justify all of my life decisions, quote.....

"It wasn't logic. It was love"

forever searching for Mr. Big.
I'd love to hear some of your favorite Sex & the City quotes!
Until next time

Cheers,


* all pictures were found in a pinterest search

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