Anyone who has seen The Mindy Project would agree that Dr. Mindy Lahiri is one of the best female protagonists on TV. She’s an adult fangirl, she has a love affair with junk food, she’s unapologetically honest, and she can come up with clever pop culture references like it’s nobody’s business. She also has her impulsive moments when life throws lemons her way, but at least she knows how to channel her inner warrior, aka Beyoncé Pad Thai, and turn them into lemonade.
We adore Mindy because we can always see bits of ourselves in her, whether she’s freaking out over drama at work or dealing with the most awkward date ever. We also love that she’s comfortable enough in her skin to own up to her flaws and just be silly. But best of all, we love it when she shares her unfiltered thoughts and words of wisdom.
If you ask us, some of her sayings are so powerful that they ought to be framed. And so of course, we did the honors by selecting some of her best quotes and actually framing them:
1. “It is so weird being my own role model. I recommend it.”
When she said this in season one, she was referring to the fact that she was in a really good place and that she felt happy because she’d come so far. We all have these moments. But seeing ourselves as our own role models can feel kind of weird because we live in a world where we’re encouraged to look up to (and emulate) other successful people. Kudos to Mindy for reminding us that we all should be proud of our own accomplishments and consider ourselves the role models for once.
2. “I am not picky. I just have standards.”
Remember when Mindy complained about Danny saying she’d die alone because she was “too picky”? People at the office actually started to agree. But then she gave the best response, saying that she had high standards and that people only chose to see it as pickiness. We honestly couldn’t relate more, and it can be so frustrating when others see this as a bad thing.
3. “I figure if I’m gonna be a mess, I might as well be a hot mess.”
Mindy had a bone to pick with her BFF, Gwen, because she basically called her a hot mess and suggested that she wasn’t good enough for Dennis (a guy who she dated before, but who also moved on with someone else). So, in retaliation, Mindy donned one of Gwen’s sexiest dresses and then went on a mission to win Dennis back. But not before delivering this classic line.
4. “I’m like very smart and successful, and I’m hot, but don’t even know it, which makes me even hotter.”
We know for a fact that the guys of One Direction would strongly agree with this statement (just listen to “What Makes You Beautiful”). And we totally get the appeal, because seeing a driven, successful, and attractive person who also happens to be modest can make them even hotter. But of course, it all comes down to preference. Confident people who know their worth and love to show off their beauty are also hot.
5. “My body is very attracted to your body, but when you speak my brain gets angry.”
Admit it, you’ve totally been through this at least once. In Mindy’s case, she was trying to prove that she was open-minded, so she tried to go out with this guy that she had literally nothing in common with. The guy was a skater named Graham and he did have a gorgeous body. But after Mindy spent some time with him, she couldn’t take it anymore. She finally told him the truth: That the attraction between them was only physical. Such a pity…
6. “I have the right to life, liberty, and chicken wings.”
Mindy is (and has always been) a proud foodie. So we can understand why she was so excited to see that Sloppy’s American Grill had its very own bill of rights, which included this gem. Her face practically lit up as she told the bartender about it. And we don’t blame her, we’d have probably done the same thing.
7. “I want you to love me in the way that I can show on Instagram.”
At the time, Danny wasn’t too excited about the idea of putting a ring on Mindy’s finger. She was understandably upset, because all she really wanted was for Danny to show his love in a way that she could share with others. In all fairness, it’s probably not the best idea to flood people’s feeds with lovey-dovey pics of you and your boo. But still, it feels amazing when you can share pics of the occasional milestones and special moments. So no, we totally don’t blame you for wanting this, Mindy.
8. “Who I have been is not who I’m going to be.”
We’ve got chills! She said this on the show’s very first episode, but it’s arguably her most powerful one-liner yet. A lot of us forget that our past does not define us, nor does it dictate how our future will turn out. People really can change for the better, and Mindy’s growth throughout the show is all the proof that we need.
9. “I hate when people say girl crush.”
The term comes so naturally to us these days that we don’t even give it a second thought. But Mindy makes a fair point here. In a sense, “girl crush” feels like the female version of “no homo” because people don’t want to be labeled as gay. But hey, newsflash: Saying “crush” will not automatically make you a lesbian. It’s just not that serious.
10. “I am a hot, smart woman with an ass that doesn’t quit.”
Mindy is a total badass. She knows her worth and she understands the importance of being self-confident. This is why she finds it helpful to communicate her best qualities whenever she’s in doubt, or whenever other people try to make her feel less-than. It’s a habit that we all ought to practice ourselves.
11. “A doctor told me that my metabolism is so high, that I basically have to eat every hour.”
Mindy was trying to explain to Danny why she’d had such a huge meal, and she couldn’t have given a more perfect response. Now, we kind of wish that she was our doctor. And of course, this will officially be our go-to excuse whenever we choose to over-indulge.
12. “I’m like the Joan Cusack character in the romantic comedy of your life.”
This comment came after Mindy helped Jaime realize that he was actually in love. So of course, it’s understandable to feel like the supporting character who helps someone else reach their grand revelation. But hey, it’s still a rewarding feeling. And Mindy did practically turn Jaime’s life from a sad drama to a romantic comedy.
13. “I was thinking of getting a tattoo on my wrist that says ‘breathe’.”
It does sound like a great idea, considering that breathing exercises can work wonders in any stressful situation. No one understands this better than Mindy. Because after all, she had to deal with things like awful breakups and weird exes. Plus, she now has to juggle her career with being a mom. It’s a lot.
14. “We just need to ride out this minor humiliation until we find our Kanye.”
This was so well put. It’s easy to forget that our worst, most humiliating moments do not dictate our futures or define us. And if Kim Kardashian can move past her low point to be remembered for something great, then so can we. Now, excuse us while we search for our Kanye.
15. “I just feel very motivated and tomorrow is going to be very different.”
This is exactly what we should tell ourselves whenever we start to feel hopeless. It’s so important to stay motivated when things aren’t going our way. And Mindy knows this all too well, considering everything she’s been through.
16. “Songs should be three minutes long and Nicki Minaj raps in the middle.”
When Danny tried to convince Mindy to take more of an interest in things that her BFF Peter likes, she mentioned that she refuses to listen to Phish (his favorite rock band). Then she added this classic response about what really makes a great song. And you know what? We totally agree. Songs ought to be short and sweet. And of course, Nicki Minaj is one of the best rappers in the music industry right now, so it’s a win-win.
17. “Your secret is safe with me. Largely because I don’t care and I’ll probably forget.”
Morgan was trying to make a deal with Mindy that he wouldn’t spill the beans about her big secret if she didn’t tell anyone his. It turned out that the poor guy’s secret wasn’t even worth remembering (which, we guess, was a good thing). But we just love that Mindy was bold enough to tell it like it is.