Sex and the City 2 provided both not-so-subtle “fashion tips” (which you may or may not take to heart) and lifelong happiness tips for busy people, like entrepreneurs.

Our favorite ladies, Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda, returned to the big screen once again this summer for Sex and the City 2. As usual, not only does each girl look quite fabulous in every scene, but she also has her own bouts of drama and problems and must find a solution to regain happiness.

(Spoiler alert!)

Make up your own rules. Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mr. Big (Chris Noth) finally look settled down in their marriage together, but their relationship is far from your average marriage (big surprise, right?). The largest conflict arises when Mr. Big asks Carrie if he can spend two days out of each week for himself, away from her. As a business owner, don’t think that you need to follow everyone else’s plan. Do your research, find which business model you like and then tweak it to fit how you want your business to be. As Carrie notes, “You have to take the tradition, and decorate it your way.”

Don’t let anyone tell you who you should be. Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), no matter how breathtaking she looks, cannot hide the fact that she is getting older with every passing minute. She may refuse to believe it, however, her denial does not transfer to people around her. Throughout the movie, people comment that she is “too old” to be wearing certain outfits; Samantha, of course, writes them off and does her own thing. Left and right, people will continue you to tell you how to run your business, how to act and what you need to do. Listen to their advice, but make sure that you do what you want to do and be who you want to be.

Take time out for yourself. Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) is living her perfect life with her perfect husband and her, uh, “perfect” two little girls – except that her daughters are driving her crazy! Breakdown moments ensue when her brilliant nanny is out of the picture. The girls’ vacation gives Charlotte the getaway she needs. As a business owner, it may seem to you that you will need to remain in that business mindset 24/7. While you should be quick on your toes for anything that may arise, be sure to do something you enjoy, too.

Find a good career and life balance. Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) is known as the focused career woman of the group. But, in this point in time, her career is interfering with her home life. After quitting the law firm, Miranda finds more time to spend with her family, but not necessarily happiness. Business owners must find that special balance between the time you spend at work and the time you spend at home. Both are important and need special attention. During Acton’s Life of Meaning course, students are challenged with similar dilemmas. Questions like, “How will I make choices when family, calling and community come into conflict?” are asked. Read our note, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, for a guide on how to balance your priorities.

While the movie itself may not be up for any Oscars (in my opinion, it wasn’t that bad), it had some great lessons, just like Glee and Iron Man 2.

What other lessons did you catch from the film?

This is Part Three in a series taking a look at the entrepreneurial lessons you can glean from your favorite movies and TV shows.

Photo courtesy of alachia.

Tags: Happiness, Pop Culture

Posted in News & Current Events