Fans of this hit sitcom know these characters like their own best friends. Regardless of who your favorite it, all lovers of How I Met Your Mother certainly got a laugh or two out of Lily Aldrin. This character is the mom of the group, and has a close bond with every single member of the gang.
However, not everything Lily ever did throughout the series was a great idea. From some selfish decisions to some train-wreck mistakes, there are a number of things Lily did that we should all avoid doing. However, we all mistakes, and here are 10 of Lily’s that we can learn from.
When She Takes Off The Engagement Ring
In the third episode of the entire series, a newly engaged Lily gets a bit jealous when her and Robin at the bar, and men are only hitting on Robin. Of course, feeling envious that men aren’t hitting on her, Lily takes off her engagement ring to see if that makes a difference.
For anyone who has been in a serious relationship, we know that is a pretty big no-no. Her attention-seeking self definitely made a big mistake her, and the takeaway is certainly to be confident and happy in the relationship you have. Meaningless strangers can’t match real love.
When She Leaves Marshall
Throughout the series, Lily can be pretty guilty of being selfish. At the end of the first season, Lily gets accepted to an art fellowship in San Francisco. This causes tension in her and Marshall’s relationship, especially since they’re about to get married.
Lily, however, takes the fellowship and leaves Marshall dumbfounded. While it could be said she was following her dreams, she was definitely totally selfish and harsh about the whole thing. Fans can all learn from this – be honest and loving with your partner. Communication is always the best policy.
When She Tries To Teach Ted & His Boss
Lily is quite frankly the queen of overstepping her boundaries. In the second season, fans will likely remember when Lily gets a job with Ted at his architecture firm. You’ll also probably remember when Lily steals Ted’s boss’s baseball to teach him a lesson about “bullying”.
Sure, she’s a teacher, but this is definitely crossing all kinds of lines. People should always be nice, but Lily’s interfering is kind of outlandish and straight-up rude. Her ego is a little inflated at times, and maybe we could all learn to keep our cool, keep our noses out of others’ business, and treat adults like adults.
All The Meddling In Ted’s Relationships
While these shenanigans are a bit entertaining to watch on television, they’re also super frustrating to watch as anyone who has had a relationship or a friend. In the fourth season, when Ted’s old girlfriend, Karen (Laura Prepon), returns, Lily sabotages their relationship by placing an earring in Ted’s bed.
It turns out that this is not the first time Lily has meddled in Ted’s relationships. Sure, she has good intentions, but this is a classic case of overstepping boundaries. We can all learn to trust in our friends, and mind our own business.
When She Spills The Beans To Quinn
This wasn’t the worst mistake Lily has ever made, but it’s certainly one that proves Lily really struggles to mind her own business. In the premiere of season 8, Barney is trying to keep it on the down-low, from his girlfriend Quinn, that him and Robin used to date.
Of course, Lily blurts this out after being sleep-deprived from her newborn baby. This mistake definitely leads to some tension. Sure, she is a new mom, but Lily is notorious for spilling the beans. Of course, we can all learn to be a bit more cognizant and aware of everyone around us.
Not Communicating With Marshall
Lily has always wanted a career in art, and she certainly deserves the chance to do so. However, her methods of achieving her goals aren’t exactly great. In season 8, when she finally gets a job as an art consultant, this causes tension with Marshall because she is focusing A LOT on her job, and not her family.
Of course, having a work-life balance is always tricky, and Lily definitely deserves the career of her dreams. However, this mistake again comes down to communication and honesty. Lily decided to have a family, and she should support them endlessly, while still attending her job. Balance is hard – but it’s the key to this tension-causing mistake.
When She Gets Jealous Over Robin (Again)
The last season of this hit sitcom is certainly a roller-coaster ride. Again, this isn’t a huge mistake, but it’s certainly hilarious and also worth learning from. When Lily decides to help Robin make more female friends, it doesn’t go well when Robin is finally successful.
Of course, Lily gets jealous. She ends up scaring the new friend away, because she wants Robin all to herself. It worked out for the best, but Robin is probably never going to get a best friend. Fans can learn to loosen the reigns a bit, and know that our friends can have other friends.
Keeping Secrets
For someone who really likes to poke her nose into everyone’s business, Lily is surprisingly good at keeping her own secrets. In the last season, her and Marshall don’t seem to see eye-to-eye on just about anything. As the season progresses, secrets begin to explode, and it turns out that Lily was keeping some whopping ones from her husband.
Of course – she’s pregnant. While it’s totally reasonable to keep this from the gang, Lily and Marshall have some pretty big fights about the “secret” she’s keeping. At the end of the day, honesty is always the best policy.
