10 Things Rory Gilmore Taught Me About Life

Erica and Alexis Bledel by Ed Schipul licensed by CC BY-SA 2.0

1. You need to stand up for what you believe in.

No matter what the world throws at you, it will always try to convince you to go the opposite way of what you believe in. But whatever happens, always stick to your gut. Following your heart means more than following the norm. Rory never would’ve gone to Chilton if she hadn’t pushed for what she wanted.

2. Get to know yourself – and your limits.

Don’t be afraid to admit when you’re wrong, but be confident in what you love. If you love pizza a little too much, well then by golly shout it to the world. I LOVE PIZZA A LITTLE TOO MUCH!

3. If someone hurts you, learn to stand up to them.

You don’t deserve to be hurt, and whoever did it deserves to know that they did something wrong. Don’t let people walk all over you.

4. Looks don’t matter, and there are more important things out there.

We’ve all fallen into that trap. Looks get you the date, looks help you win prom king/queen, looks get you the popularity. But would your looks help you get into the school of your dreams? Will your looks help you get that job? Will your looks get you a second chance if you fail your finals? All good questions to think about.

5. There are going to be things we’ll have to sacrifice at some point in our lives, including the things we love.

We can’t always hold onto things when we know letting go is for the best. Remember when Rory said goodbye to Dean? If we know deep down it will be better for us in the long run, we must let go of it, no matter how scary it might be.

6. Learn to express yourself well without saying a word.

Sometimes no words are better than any. Facial expressions can say it all. Even if half of your face is hidden behind a giant cup of coffee.

7. Know when to express your feelings, even if they hurt.

Keeping things to yourself isn’t always the best thing, but it’s sometimes the easiest. We all know that when you keep your feelings in, they can grow into something worse. Tensions between Rory and Lorelai were always high when Rory kept her feelings all balled-up. Don’t be afraid to express your feelings, no matter how much they hurt. It’s a scary thought, but you will almost always feel better after letting it out.

8. Own up to your mistakes.

Know when you’re wrong. It’s hard. It’s scary. You don’t want to get in trouble or have anyone tell you off. But the sooner you admit that you’re wrong, and admit that you’ve made a mistake, the better you will feel in the long run. Of course, if your mistake is stealing a yacht, that’s going to be a hard one to hide.

9. Listen to your mother.

She may get things wrong from time to time, and she may not always understand, but she will always be able to give you the right advice when you need it. Moms have the uncanny way of always making you feel better.  Even if she’s telling you something you don’t want to hear.

10. Make the most of the important moments in your life.

You can’t relive them, so appreciate them in the moment. Next time something really important comes up, jump up and cheer, make a fool of yourself, and do something to show the world that you are rockin’ and ready to take on anything that comes your way!