Kat. Jane. Sutton. Three fictional women with such a big impact on my life. It’s strange to think that a television show can change a part of who I am, but I long ago accepted that fandom will always affect me in some way or another.
With the news of the Season 4 renewal, I have to admit I started to cry. It wasn’t a bad cry, it was a sigh of relief. I am not willing or ready to let go of Kat, Jane, and Sutton anytime soon. The three are the main characters in Freeform’s The Bold Type – which is one of my favorite shows. It’s set in the world of New York City magazine publishing and though I am intrigued by that, it’s not the reason I watch.
I watch because of the friendships.
Kat, Jane, and Sutton aren’t perfect friends. But they are amazing friends. The way that the navigate life and the roads of friendship is something that we all can learn from.
And I learn something every week on The Bold Type about friendship.
ALWAYS BE THERE FOR YOUR FRIENDS
I think that being there for your friends is one of the most obvious things in the world, but it sometimes is something so simple that we overlook it. We all become so wrapped up in our world, that we don’t see what is happening around us.
But like we are all having our own issues in life, so are our friends. They could be having health scares – like Jane did. They could be having family issues – like Sutton. They could be experiencing a broken heart – like Kat. Everyone is so complex and it’s up to you as a friend to see that people need you. They aren’t always going to ask you for your help or tell you that they need it. But as human beings we need to be there for others.
YOU CAN TRY TO KEEP SECRETS, BUT THEY ALWAYS COME OUT
Sutton may not have wanted her friends to know about her relationship with Richard, but they found out. And that’s just one of the many examples that we’ve learned from The Bold Type – you can’t hide shit from your friends. They figure everything out. They call you out on everything. They tell you what is right and what is wrong – because they love you. And lets be real, if you’re hiding shit from your friends, you probably shouldn’t be doing it anyways.
HAVE A PLACE THAT MAKES YOU FEEL SAFE
When it comes to me and my friends – we have that place that we retreat to. It’s different with each friend, but it’s there. For the girls it may be the fashion closet or the bath tub at Richards or Jane and Suttons, but all of these places are safe for them. Have one for you and your friends. A neutral place that you all know you are on equal ground. It makes everyone feel secure in their relationship and to be able to say what is on their mind.
BE TRUTHFUL AND HONEST NO MATTER WHAT
It’s not always easy to tell people the truth. Sometimes it is hard to be honest, to tell people things that will hurt them and to tell people the good things too. Honesty is important. It can make or break a friendship. But in the long run, honesty will be something that your friends will appreciate you for.
PUSH YOUR FRIENDS TO ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS
We all have dreams. We all have things we want to do. And most of us are going to doubt ourselves. Like Sutton wants to be a designer – and she was doubting herself. She also put her Mom before her. But the girls and Richard had to remind her that she needs to put herself first. Sutton told her boss the cold hard truth about letting his daughter not miss school. There are way too many people in the world who are going to doubt themselves. Be the positive change that makes people feel included, loved, and as if they can do anything.
The Bold Type airs on Freeform.
