17 Leslie Knope-isms For Your Love Life

Uteruses before duderuses. We've gleaned a plethora of lessons from Amy Poehler's spitfire Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation. We've laughed and cried watching Leslie be an encouraging friend to Ann and Ron, follow her professional dreams, and fall in love with the adorable Ben Wyatt over the course of the show's seven seasons. With the series finale airing this week, we're sharing the lessons Leslie — our relationship spirit animal and dream wingwoman — has taught us about love and friendship.

1. Sandwich bad news between the good.

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2. Share your dating horror stories to help others.

"Relationships are like scuba diving. If you come up too fast, you get the bends. And the reasons why I know this is because I was dating a guy once, and we were scuba diving, and I told him that I loved him underwater, and he shot up really fast and got the bends."

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3. You marry the man who says this.

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4. You want to give off the right vibe on a date.

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5. Be willing to love or hate your friend's significant other.

"I'm sure he's not cheating on you. But if he is, he's a monster. And if he's not, you guys are great together. But if he is, I will kill him."

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6. Find someone who makes you laugh.

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7. Always keep an eye out for your single friends.

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8. Slow down, and enjoy the special moments.

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9. Don't overthink a first-date outfit.

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10. Never diminish your success for a partner.

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11. Good communication means being a good listener.

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12. Making out is underrated.

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13. Empathize with your girlfriends by standing in their shoes.

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14. Celebrate your friends' milestones, not just their engagements.

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15. Don't let a crush get between a friendship.

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16. First impressions can be misleading.

"When I first met you, I thought you were a fascist hard-ass."

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17. A little positive affirmation goes a long way. A lot goes even further.

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