15 Life Lessons We Learned From Mindy Lahiri

Mindy Kaling got her start on The Office, as both a writer and the sassy Kelly Kapoor, and many were wondering what she would do once that show wrapped. Rather than joining another writers room, Kaling decided to set out on her own and create a show that she would star in herself - The Mindy Project. Fans immediately flocked to the show, not just because it was hilarious, with a talented cast of supporting characters, but because Mindy Lahiri was so relatable.

Sure, she was a successful OB/GYN in Manhattan. In other shows, that might mean she was an ultra glamorous, too perfect for words character who only drank green juices and wore all black. Not under Kaling's watch, though. While Dr. Lahiri was great at what she did professionally, she was also a fan of junk food, dancing, celebrity gossip, and bold, bright colours. She wasn't afraid to be herself, and she totally embraced her own personality - and that's a fantastic example to set for all the female viewers out there.

The show had a hiccup at one point, when it went from airing on a network to being scooped up by Hulu, but the for real end is finally here. After the sixth season, which will start in September, the show will officially wrap up. It makes sense - six seasons is quite a run for any show, any we have to imagine Kaling is getting excited to work on new projects. Still, it's going to be tough to say goodbye to Mindy Lahiri - so we've put together 15 life lessons that we've learned from her over the years.

15 Don't label yourself

One of the reasons that Dr. Mindy Lahiri was such a compelling character is precisely because she didn't conform to a specific label. On the one hand, she was a bit of a nerd who was fascinated by the club scene in one of the first episodes of the series because she didn't get a chance to experience that while she was in med school. On the other hand, she's a chic city girl who loves designer clothes and expensive cocktails. She's also an extremely talented doctor who is a total boss at work. The point is, Mindy Lahiri can't be described with one simple label - so you should never let yourself be labelled either. If your day job is scientific or technical, that doesn't mean you can't come home and express your creative side through painting. Just because you love fashion doesn't mean you're frivolous. You can be many things.

14 Know your worth - and keep your standards high

There are so, so many female characters on television who do nothing but doubt themselves and their abilities, who allow themselves to be treated poorly by partners and friends. And quite frankly, they set a terrible example. Mindy Lahiri is a little bit different. Even though she knows she's not perfect, she has a very strong sense of her own self-worth and how she wants to be treated. She's not about to settle for any guy, even if she desperately wants a relationship, because she knows that she deserves someone who will treat her right. Mindy Lahiri knows what she wants, and she knows what she's worth - and we could all learn a little something from that attitude. Just because you have high standards doesn't mean you're too picky - it just means you know what you're worth and you're not willing to settle for less, both in your work life and in your personal life.

13 Love your body - exactly as it is

While there was one or two moments throughout the show when Mindy was a bit afraid of showing off her naked body, for the most part, Mindy Lahiri had an absolutely insane amount of confidence. Like, if you just took the things she said and looked at them on paper, you might think she was a supermodel. And that's kind of amazing. Even though she wasn't the size 0, blonde, waifish ideal that Hollywood often puts forth, Mindy is absolutely gorgeous - and she knows it. She didn't try to hide her body, or to tone the way she dresses because she required a bigger size. She owned her curves and unapologetically praised her body - and that's something that all women need to start doing. Forget what Hollywood tells you - as long as your body is healthy, you need to work on making peace with it and learning to love it, just like Mindy Lahiri does.

12 Be bold with your fashion choices

A lot of women tend to be fairly safe with their fashion choices. They opt for simple silhouettes, classic styles, and neutral colours. And there's certainly nothing wrong with that, if those are the types of pieces that speak to you - but are they? Many women are drawn to prints and bold colours and daring silhouettes, but they shy away from them because they're a bit nervous to be so bold with their fashion choices. Well, if we've learned anything from Dr. L, it's that you can absolutely make a statement with your clothing and still look professional (and super stylish). Get that pencil skirt in canary yellow instead of your standard black. Buy that whimsical blouse. Rock a statement necklace. Take some fashion risks, because getting dressed in something you love immediately starts your morning off right. Heck, use some of Mindy Lahiri's previous outfits as inspiration - the woman has a totally enviable wardrobe.

11 Forget 'guilty pleasures' - enjoy what you enjoy with no apologies

There's a lot said about guilty pleasures, shows or activities you enjoy but feel slightly embarrassed to admit. Somehow, we think that framing it as a guilty pleasure makes it more excusable - but what on earth are you apologizing for? Mindy Lahiri makes no secret about what she loves - romantic comedies and celebrity gossip. She wants to be Sandra Bullock, and she wants to know exactly who is dating who and what all the details on the latest scandal are. And you know what? She's also a talented professional. Just because you're not spending your downtime learning the violin or watching dark indie films doesn't mean you're any less of a person, and you don't need to apologize for what you like. Enjoy what makes you happy. Life is too short, and you work too hard, to pretend not to love the things you love. Own it - Mindy Lahiri certainly would.

10 Never change yourself for a guy

One of the (many) reasons that Mindy Lahiri is so relatable is because she has the same relationship dramas that many women have. She's dated a few losers, and she's even fallen prey to the dreaded act of changing yourself in order to better become what you think your perfect boyfriend wants. News flash - if you meet Mr. Right, he'll love you exactly as you are, no changes necessary. I mean, who could ever forget Mindy cutting off all her hair and travelling to Haiti, where she was miserable, just because she was trying to be the type of woman she thought her partner would want. The lesson that Mindy's dating life has taught us is that the minute you start changing yourself for a guy, things are probably already doomed. Be you - if he's right for you, he'll accept you, flaws and quirks and all

9 Eat whatever you want

Mindy Lahiri is absolutely unapologetic about her diet - even when it drives her health nut co-worker and on-again off-again partner Danny Castellano crazy. She has a right to chicken wings, she has a noted penchant for cake, and she knows that sometimes all you need in the world is a little McDonald's. Now, if you want to be healthy, you definitely need to fill your diet with some nutrients. However, women are so often portrayed as salad-crunching, water-swigging supermodels who would never even dream of eating a chocolate bar. News flash - that's not reality. Sometimes, when you've had a hard week, it's totally fine to eat ice cream straight out of the carton and wash it down with half a bottle of wine. Just eat a few extra veggies next week to make up for it. Eat what feels right for you, and don't let anyone else shame your food choices.

8 Work hard and provide for yourself

Sure, Mindy Lahiri has made a few jokes about marrying rich throughout the series, but at the end of the day, she's the one that makes it all happen for herself. Everything she has, she has because she worked for it. She has a killer wardrobe, an amazing apartment, and an incredible career - and it's all because she was willing to put in years of hard work and long hours, trying to make it happen. She even took risks, starting her own fertility clinic instead of just staying forever in a cushy job that she had grown comfortable with. Mindy Lahiri was all about providing for herself - and that meant that when things went sour with her relationships, she never truly had to worry about providing for her son or anything like that, because she had that covered all on her own. Total #girlboss. Just like her icon Beyoncé, Mindy Lahiri knew that she was an independent woman who could buy her own things without the help of any man.

7 Forget society's timelines

Mindy Lahiri is someone who has her career totally in check. Sure, there's some drama when she's deciding whether to start her own business, and whether to pursue a prestigious fellowship, but she's not one of those characters bouncing around from job to job trying to figure it out. However, when it comes to her love life, things were a little bit different. She didn't end up marrying her college sweetheart and popping out babies in her 20s - she was too busy establishing her career for that, and she just hadn't found Mr. Right. And from time to time, even though she had a lot going for her in her life, she felt bad about still not being married when she was in her 30s. However, those moments were fleeting - because she knew she was a total boss and would get there eventually. Mindy Lahiri helped teach us all that you just need to forget the timeline that society deems appropriate - progress at your own pace.

6 Know when to walk away

This one kind of goes hand in hand with the lessons about knowing your worth, but it's equally important. Sometimes, you need to be able to recognize the situation for what it is, and to know when it's in your best interests to walk away. Just take Mindy and Danny's relationship, for example. It was a slow build, with the whole love-hate vibe, and when they finally got together it was great. There were grand romantic gestures, it was something they had both been suppressing for so long, and they were totally lovey dovey. I mean, they even had a child together! However, Mindy eventually came to realize that it just wasn't working out - she wasn't able to be her best self with Danny, and so she walked away, even though it was terrifying. That's a lesson we could all learn from Mindy Lahiri - sometimes, the right thing isn't the easy one.

5 Realize that real love isn't a rom com - it's messy

There's quite possibly no one who loves romantic comedies more than Mindy Lahiri. Who could forget her iconic moment in the series opener, where she rides through the streets on a bicycle screaming “I'm Sandra Bullock!” However, unlike many television shows where the women are swept off their feet by romantic dates and have a totally glamorous and enviably love life, Mindy Lahiri's luck in love is… well, a little bit different. It's messy. It's complicated. She's dated quite a few stinkers, and been burned quite a few times. Even when she gets her happy ending, it ends up being not quite what she thought it would be. And that's just another reason the show earned so many fans - it helped teach us that the view of love many television shows put forth just wasn't realistic. In the real world, your experience was probably a whole lot more like Dr. L's.

4 Pursuing your dreams isn't selfish

Shortly after Mindy and Danny have little Leo, Danny expresses that Mindy should be a stay-at-home mom. He wanted to continue pursuing his career, but he wanted her to hang up her doctor hat and tend to the children. Obviously, Mindy wasn't about that. At first, she thought it seemed relaxing, but eventually came to realize that it's not what she wanted - she wanted to have it all. While balancing being a mom (a single mom, no less), Mindy opened her own fertility clinic and continued her career as a doctor. She didn't have to choose - and she didn't allow Danny to tell her she had to give up her career to be a mother, just because that's the model he had grown up with and what he thought was right. It wasn't right for Mindy, so she spoke up - and carved out the balance that worked for her.

3 It's okay to speak up

Women especially are often told that they should be meek - keep your opinions to yourself, don't cause any conflict, etc. However, Mindy Lahiri never bought into that model of femininity. She was absolutely unafraid to speak her mind, regardless of whether she was surrounded by strangers or colleagues. If the pizza guy was being stingy with the cheese on her pie, you'd better believe she would let him know. If one of the doctors suggested something she thought was ridiculous, she spoke up. Now, we're not saying you should go pick fights constantly, but the point is, it's absolutely okay to speak up and make your opinion known. It doesn't mean you're bitchy or bossy or any of those negative connotations many apply to a strong professional woman. It just means you're confident enough to express your opinions and aren't about to let anyone walk all over you.

2 Sometimes, you need to channel your inner warrior

Even the most confident of women need to give themselves a pep talk every now and then - it's the whole 'fake it before you make it' strategy. Mindy Lahiri is no different. When she was struggling, with Morgan's advice, she managed to channel her inner confidence by telling herself that “you're not Mindy. You're a warrior and your warrior name is Beyoncé Pad Thai.” Now, we're not saying you need to pick the same alter ego as Dr. L, but the lesson is a good one. There are going to be times when you doubt yourself, and when you feel like you're never going to be able to achieve what you want, or like you're surely going to mess something up. In times like that, take a long hard look at yourself in the mirror, channel your inner Beyoncé Pad Thai, and kick some butt.

1 Be your own role model

Mindy Lahiri's statement that “it's so weird being my own role model” is one of the shows most iconic quotes, and many take it as a joke - simple proof that Dr. L is super confident. While that's certainly the case, it's also more poignant than you might initially assume. Mindy is saying that she's her own role model, meaning that she's living the type of life she is proud of, and that she believes in. She's not playing by anyone else's rules, and she's not comparing herself to others or changing her dreams for anyone. She's doing exactly what she believes she should be doing - and that's pretty amazing. We should all strive to be our own role models. I mean, why look up to someone else and be discontent with your life when you could just try to change your life to the point where you're so happy with it that you're basically your own role model?