HIMYM Wisdom: 5 Times Ted Mosby Told Us What NOT to Do

Learning from your own mistakes is not very pleasant, although such life lessons are the most memorable. Fortunately, we have another way to avoid making wrong decisions — TV series often become an encyclopedia of life, and if you watch them closely enough, you can learn a huge number of lessons from them.

And the main teacher of viewers in the 2010s who showed how not to do it was undoubtedly Ted Mosby from How I Met Your Mother.

1. Nothing Good Happens After 2 A.M.

Ted's mother used to say that nothing good happens after two in the morning. This is probably one of the most valuable lessons he has learned throughout the series.

Despite common sense, Mosby managed to hurt two people he cared about in one night: Victoria, who he had no time to break up with properly, and Robin, the woman of his dreams. Feelings that intensify in the dark can drive anyone to unpredictable actions. But bitter experience has taught Ted that it is better to postpone fateful decisions until the morning, not only for the sake of his loved ones, but also for his own sake.

2. Don't Break Up with Your Partner on Their Birthday

Ted Mosby has suffered at the hands of many women, but the main character himself has also inflicted pain on his partners more than once. He managed to break up with Natalie not once, but twice on her birthday.

Of course, the show teaches us not to give people hope if we do not see a future with them. But such an important step should be taken at a more appropriate time than a celebration. In these episodes, Ted, unable to wait a few days, showed his selfish side and ruined someone else's holiday.

3. A Broken Heart Is Not the End of the World

The entire series is built around the search for the one and only Mrs. Mosby. With inexhaustible optimism, Ted goes on dates, falls in love and dreams of a family for almost ten years. But his meetings with various women sometimes end in a rather sad way.

Breakups become harder and harder for Ted, and at some point it seems that there is no woman in New York who is just right for him. But even in the darkest of times, Ted tries to hold on to a glimmer of hope. Whether it is the fading of his relationship with Robin or Stella running away from the wedding, he refuses to completely give up on love.

4. It's Okay to Make Mistakes

Looking back at Ted Mosby's past, you might think the character is a walking disaster, making mistakes at every turn. And that's true, because Josh Radnor's character has qualities that make him so similar to us.

By learning to forgive others for their bad choices and words — Barney for his night with Robin, or his mother for his fake allergy to bacon — Ted eventually came to the realization that he himself was not perfect. Instead of beating himself up over what he did, Mosby moved on and realized that sometimes we all make mistakes.

5. Always Carry an Umbrella

The yellow umbrella is the symbol of the show. If it weren't for that fateful umbrella, it's unlikely that Ted would have crossed paths with the charming bass player — it became a link between the lives of Mosby and his future wife.

There is no doubt that if Ted himself could give advice to viewers, one of the most important recommendations would be to always have an umbrella handy. After all, you never know when bad weather is going to surprise you and give you the chance to turn your whole life upside down.