Mary Jane Paul’s life is the epitome of a beautiful disaster. There are times when you envy her, and then, there are those times where her poor choices leave you suffering from second-hand embarrassment. Like most of us, Mary Jane’s ultimate goal is happiness. Sometimes her tactics are all wrong, but there are also plenty of times she gets it right. Either way, there’s always a lesson to be learned. As we anxiously await the first episode of season 3 of our favorite BET series, which airs tonight at 9pm, here are six tips for finding your happy, courtesy of Mary Jane.
BET
Just because it feels good doesn’t mean it’s right for you
Initially, it appeared that Sheldon’s timing for entering Mary Jane’s life was close to perfect. She had seemingly ended things with David, and a fine, unattached man was exactly what she needed at the time. Unfortunately, once the two began entertaining the possibility of seeing each other long term, she learned that he never wants to marry, have children or even cohabitate with a woman. More than anything, Mary Jane desires a husband and family. And while she tried to stick it out with Sheldon for a period, she eventually realized that it could never work because they wanted two very different lives. Sacrificing your long-term happiness for the contentment of another will only lead to misery.
BET
Learn to let go
Mary Jane and David have been breaking up and making up for years. While their love was probably a beautiful thing to witness back when they were solid, it’s very obvious that their ship has sailed, which explains why they can’t get things right to save their lives. Fighting to keep things and people in your life past their expiration dates is only prolonging the inevitable, and honestly, it’s downright painful.
BET
Rid your life of toxic relationships
Lisa is one of those friends you should probably learn to love from a distance — and by distance, we mean from your prayer closet. While people like Lisa usually mean well, their jealousy will continue to get in the way, and those are not the kind of people you want in your circle. They will almost always betray you.
BET
Don’t covet anyone’s life
Valerie has been blessed with everything that Mary Jane wants and, unfortunately, our friend isn’t the best at coping with the envy she feels. On multiple occasions, miss thang has lashed out at Val and shamed her for being family oriented. When faced with situations like this one, the secret is learning to be happy for those who have something you desire. Don’t make a habit of nursing your envy.
BET
Make things right when possible
Mary Jane is good at burning bridges and damaging relationships. While some relationships should certainly be tossed in the trash, there are plenty of others that are worth saving. When you see an opportunity to extend an olive branch or mend a fence, take advantage of it.
BET
Deal with stress before it deals with you
By the end of season two, Mary Jane had an embarrassing bed-wetting problem, which was likely a reaction to all of the stress in her life that she failed to address. Instead of using avoidance to cope, find constructive ways to work through the issues that may be causing tension in your life.
