3 Valuable Life Lessons We've Learned From The Good Place

It's the sad truth, but The Good Place is done. The quirky, emotionally truthful comedy about the afterlife aired its last episode this week, and we are already mourning its departure. The show's unique premise revolves around ethical and philosophical questions, exploring them in a funny, endearing way. Every episode of The Good Place is a breath of fresh air mixed with just the right amount of comfort food and twisty turns. And for the past seasons, the show has reinvented itself, pushing characters and the world around them to grow and change.

Each character is lovable in their own way, and the tightly knit family they formed with the help of ethics lessons is so endearing, the show might as well be made of sugar, spice, and everything good in the world. Relentlessly positive, The Good Place has found a special place in our hearts. Even after the show is long gone, its lessons on morality, friendship, and love will live on. Here are a few we picked up during the show's four-season run.

Eleanor's entire arc is a journey of self-improvement. While she started as a selfish, self-centered "trash bag," she slowly learns to trust people and finds love and fulfillment in helping others. Michel is literally a demon who started out hating all of humanity but he falls in love with our gooey, disgusting ways and decides to help us instead. No matter your age or circumstances, there's always hope you can be better if you put in the work. But that's the secret: you need to do the work.

As the seasons went by, we learned the point system of the afterlife is flawed. Relying on an arbitrary list of good deeds doesn't guarantee someone is good. In fact, The Good Place argues our world is too complex for easy answers. No matter how many millions you raise for charity or how many cats you save from trees, it won't count if you do it out of self-interest. Good comes from thinking of others and trying to be more empathetic. You can't buy your way out of being an ash-hole.

Chidi, a character haunted by his inability to make a decision, finally finds peace by trusting his love for Eleanor. By understanding he's not alone to solve every question and make every decision, he lets go of his anxiety and insecurities. No matter how hard and confusing life can seem, as long as you have someone to share your burdens, things will work out.

As Janet says: "If there were an answer I could give you to how the universe works, it wouldn't be special. It would just be machinery fulfilling its cosmic design. It would just be a big, dumb food processor. But since nothing seems to make sense, when you find something or someone that does, it's euphoria."