After devoting several Friday nights to researching this topic, I’ve finally been able to reach a scientific-ish conclusion. My conclusion is that Carrie Bradshaw should not be the main character of Sex and the City. Cue the loud booing and tomatoes being thrown. Don’t get me wrong, I love Carrie! I truly believe that Carrie represents a woman that is inquisitive, self-ruling, and a hopeless romantic. However, I also believe that Carrie is not a realistic representation of women. Spending thousands of dollars on shoes and renting in New York City, all while living off of a columnist salary is not exactly realistic. This idea is not at all new. For years since Sex and the City came out in 1998, the practicality of Carrie’s life has been called into question. One character whose practicality has never been questioned is Miranda Hobbes. That is why Miranda Hobbes should have been the main character of Sex and the City. For a show that prides itself on being for women, it is really hard to relate if the main character is out of reach! As viewers, we actually have a lot we can learn from Miranda. Here are three mini-lessons we can all learn from Miranda Hobbes.
Mini-Lesson One: A Little Hard Work Never Hurt Anybody
In your lifetime you’ve probably heard at least one person say that “you get what you work for, not what you wish for.” Sorry to break it to you, but it’s true! In order to achieve your aspirations, it’s important to put in the work. Take, for example, Miranda Hobbes. Miranda graduated from Harvard Law, got a job at a big law firm, and after working countless hours, became a partner at her firm. However, it’s important to note the necessity of watching over your own mental and physical health. Never push yourself too hard or burn yourself out. If you are more miserable than happy, there is definitely something wrong. With all that being said, some late nights studying or missing out on hangouts with your friends is also healthy! In the show, Miranda had a healthy balance. Though she would sometimes tither to unhealthy habits, she always balanced it out with a night out with her girls! It’s important to be able to find that balance. You might have to skip out on a few brunches, but I promise it will be worth it!
Mini-Lesson Two: Choosing Your Brain Over Your Heart is Not Always a Bad Thing
If you have watched any episodes of Sex and the City, then you probably understand that Miranda Hobbes is the practical queen. What I mean by “practical queen” is that she always thinks her actions through and almost always picks her brain over her heart. Miranda had an entire episode dedicated to contemplating a decision (and her making a pros and cons list) over whether or not she should stay with her then-boyfriend, Steve. For some, the idea that you must pick logic over emotions might seem passionless. However, that may not always be the case! Sometimes we have to listen to our minds because our emotions could negatively influence our sense of decision. That’s not to say that you should become a robot and never express yourself emotionally, but rather that it is important to find a happy medium. Sometimes our hearts can be deceiving and can leave us in even more hurtful situations. By considering both our brain and our hearts, we can almost altogether avoid these hurdles.
Mini-Lesson Three: SAVE. SAVE. SAVE.
One thing that I am still struggling with is the ability to save. As we all probably know, spending money is so much easier than saving money! However, Miranda is the perfect example of why the pain of saving money is such a necessity! Yes, Miranda is a partner at a law firm. Yes, Miranda at one point had a rent-controlled apartment in New York City. Even so, we can still take her practices and apply them to our own lives. Miranda shows us that in order to live the lives we want to have, we kind of need money. After saving for so long, Miranda was finally able to get her first apartment in New York City (even on a lawyer’s salary). In various episodes, we see her friends Carrie and Charlotte splurge on purses and shoes, but Miranda refuses. This is not to say that shopping is bad, but only spend it if you have it! Come up with plans to be able to save enough that you can splurge a little! No matter where you are in your life, saving is always a good habit!