The Value from How I Met Your Mother: Season 7

A Look into the Lessons and Wisdom from Season 7 of HIMYM

Season 7 promo: Source

*Contains spoilers to season 7 of How I Met Your Mother

“I used to believe in destiny . . . I’ve stopped believing . . . It’s just, every day, I think I believe a little less and a little less and a little less. And that sucks.” — Ted Mosby, (“The Best Man”)

HIMYM’s season 7 picks up with Marshall and Lily’s pregnancy, Barney’s lingering possibility of dating Nora, and Ted’s singleness. This becomes a significant aspect to the season as we get closer on Ted’s journey to meeting the mother. Yet, it’s hard for him to always be optimistic, which makes the primary theme for this season doubt.

Doubt

While Ted loses some faith in season 7, an important quote he reminds us of from Rene Descartes in season 3 comes into play throughout his journey:

“In order to determine whether we can know anything with certainty, we first have to doubt everything we know.” — Ted Mosby, (“How I Met Everyone Else”)

Nevertheless, Ted frankly gets frustrated and disappointed with how long he’s had to wait for “the one” on his quest of love. The past years have proved bad relationship after bad relationship, and it’s taking a toll on him. He questions why get his hopes up to only be let down.

All of his friends around him are in a relationship, making it more difficult to be comfortable alone. His dreams of finding the one dwindle. Ted is the type of person to attend the same Halloween party every year to maybe find a girl he met at that party years earlier — very romantic and optimistic. Yet he believes in the great outcome less after every year:

“So every year I return to that same party hoping I’d see her again. But with every passing October, that hope grew a little dimmer.” — Ted Mosby, (“The Slutty Pumpkin Returns”)

Although he had doubt, Ted finally re-encountered the girl he’s thought about for nearly 10 years. They quickly discovered that they weren’t compatible and didn’t last — another heartache for Ted.

He later in this season goes on to confess he has lost all hope:

“Screw the one! Every date I’ve been on lately has been brutal . . . plus, it’s almost Valentine’s Day, and I’m alone without anything close to a girlfriend.” — Ted Mosby, (“The Drunk Train”)

Life can be frustrating. Ted truly seems to have a monumentally tough year. HIMYM reminds viewers that everything doesn’t always go our way. We will inevitably doubt our actions, perceiving them as mistakes. Further, when we continue to get knocked down, we can be uncharacteristic of our normal self. Ted, known for his optimism, appears broken.

Amidst all struggle, however, comes success with enough perseverance. Waiting and failure bring doubt. But, doubt eventually produces confidence in what we want. The next thing needed is time. Ted learns this as his faith wanes and he sees Barney fall in love with a girl:

“That’s what I want: the way Barney feels about Nora — I want that feeling again. I don’t want to be choosing between two girls. I want to be a complete head-over-heels idiot for the one.” — Ted Mosby, (“The Naked Truth”)

Others remind him throughout the season to decipher the plan at work, one which he used to have full confidence for. When facing doubt, it’s good to turn to friends. Even observing their life can produce a solution.

Marshall, while discussing to Lily about letting their children believe in Santa Claus, gives a superior attitude to doubt that faith trumps all:

“It’s not about proof; it’s about faith. Faith is what gives life shape and meaning.” — Marshall Eriksen, (“Tailgate”)

You don’t need positive results, or “proof,” to have positive thoughts. If you have faith for something better, it will come. Ted slowly gets to this understanding throughout the season.

Meanwhile, both of Barney and Robin’s relationships come to an end. Yet, Barney quickly bounces back with another girl, Quinn, whom he later gets engaged to at the end of the season.

This leaves Robin alone, which soon prompts Ted to try one more time to get Robin back, even though he’s already suffered many defeats in season 7. It had been five years since they were together and neither settled down, so it made sense for Ted to try.

Painfully enough, Robin tells Ted that she doesn’t love him. Ted knows he has to close the door on their deal that if they’re both single when they’re 40-years-old they’ll end up together. He works to move on:

“As long as the door is even a little bit open, I have this feeling that I’ll just be waiting around to see if I win the lottery when you turn 40.” — Ted Mosby, (“No Pressure”)

Robin telling Ted things won’t work between them: Source

This instance gave Ted a sense of closure, which his future-self explains is something he hadn’t had in a while:

“Here’s the funny thing: in my own crazy way, I was kind of happy. For the first time in years, there was no little part of me clinging to the dream of being with Robin, which meant for the first time in years, the world was wide open. Because kids, when a door closes, well, you know the rest.” — Ted Mosby, (“No Pressure”).

Just like all problems, the solution is simply to start again. To do something. Robin near the end of the season encourages Ted to go after his ex-girlfriend, Victoria:

“Aren’t you tired of waiting for destiny, Ted? Isn’t it time to make your own destiny?” — Robin Scherbatsky, (“The Magician’s Code, Part 2”)

Robin explains that Ted has been chasing the wrong women (including herself) and Victoria could actually be the one for him. Determined more than ever, Ted finally puts destiny into his own hands and goes after Victoria. With a season fraught of doubt, there’s an optimistic ending with Ted and Victoria driving off into the sunset together. All Ted had to do was be patient.

My Top 3 Season 7 Episodes

1. Tick, Tick, Tick (Episode 146)
2. Now We’re Even (Episode 157)
3. No Pressure (Episode 153)

My Top 3 Season 7 Quotes

1. “Every night can’t be legendary. If all nights are legendary, no nights are legendary.” — Ted Mosby (“Now We’re Even”).
2. “If you have chemistry, you only need one other thing: timing.” — Robin Scherbatsky (“The Best Man”).
3. “You can’t talk yourself into falling in love. It doesn’t take days of deliberation. When it’s real, you know pretty quickly, and with absolute certainty.” — Ted Mosby (“The Naked Truth”).

Thank you for reading! Just 2 more seasons to dissect, and the story is wrapping up beautifully! If you’re curious to read more:

The Value from How I Met Your Mother: Season 6

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