And Just Like That - Carrie Bradshaw played by Sarah Jessica Parker © MAX

Now look, we adore her.  We’ve cried with her, laughed with her, side-eyed her choices while secretly Googling her shoes. But watching her stumble through yet another existential crisis in a $4,000 outfit with no emotional backup plan?

It’s like watching someone try to Marie Kondo their soul but keep the toxic men because they “spark joy.” Come on, Carrie.

We’ve been through too much together for you to still be asking, “What if this time it’s different?” (Spoiler: it’s not. Not if you're dating Aidan. Again.)

There’s something oddly comforting — and just a teensy bit maddening — about how she keeps circling the same lessons like she’s on an emotional carousel in Louboutin heels. We want to shake her lovingly and whisper,

“Babes, you can grow up and still be romantic.

You can have boundaries and brunch."

And Just Like That - Carrie Bradshaw and Aidan Shaw played by Sarah Jessica Parker and John Corbett © MAX

Still Cosmo-Confused

Even After All These Years…

So there she is — once again, flailing in a crisis of identity because a man she was never truly compatible with resurfaced… again. And like clockwork, Carrie is spiraling through memory montages and emotionally-repressed monologues in oversized gowns I'm 93% sure she can’t comfortably sit down in.

In the most recent season of And Just Like That, we watched her re-entangle with Aidan — again. And at first, it was sweet. Nostalgic, even. But as the storyline dragged on, it became less “aww” and more “girl, do we need to have a group chat?”

I mean, how many apartments, chickens, and emotionally distant phone calls do we need before we admit this man isn’t the one?

And Just Like That - Carrie Bradshaw and Aidan Shaw played by Sarah Jessica Parker and John Corbett © MAX

But the part that I can't stop seeing is that, Carrie isn't just a character — she’s an archetype.

She’s every one of us who ever ignored a red flag because it matched our lipstick. She’s the part of us who romanticized what could be, over what actually was.

She’s our inner child  still hoping someone will love us back the way we loved them — but in expensive shoes, with a fabulous brunch crew.

And that’s what makes it so hard to watch sometimes. Because we've all been Carrie — at least a little. And when we’re not anymore, we want to lovingly drag her out of that fantasy and shout,

“Come sit with us! We’ve got boundaries, better taste in men, and we’re finally hydrating consistently!”

And Just Like That - Carrie Bradshaw played by Sarah Jessica Parker © MAX

Let’s Talk About Growth

(and Why We Can’t Force It)

Carrie’s resistance to change isn’t just a plot theme — it’s a mirror. Growth is uncomfortable. It requires honesty, reflection, and a willingness to let go of identities we’ve outgrown.

Carrie holds onto hers with white-knuckled elegance — refusing to give up the dream of love without mess, aging without consequence, and somehow healing without doing any actual healing.

And yet… we keep rooting for her. Because deep down, we want her to get it right. We want her to choose herself with the same commitment she’s shown to her shoe collection.

We want her to sit alone at a sidewalk café, sipping a martini and realizing that she doesn’t need a man to feel worthy of the table.

And maybe, we want the same for ourselves.

And Just Like That - Carrie Bradshaw played by Sarah Jessica Parker © MAX

What Carrie Teaches Us

Even When She’s Not An Ideal Role Model

Watching Carrie can be triggering — not because she’s bad, but because she’s so stuck. And sometimes, when we’re trying so hard to evolve, watching someone cling to the same old patterns feels like a reminder of how far we’ve come — or how easy it is to slip back.

So let this be a gentle invitation — not to judge your past Carries, but to honor them. Maybe she was your twenties, or last year, or last Tuesday. Maybe she was the version of you who thought if you just loved harder, they’d finally choose you.

And Just Like That - Carrie Bradshaw played by Sarah Jessica Parker © MAX

We all have a Carrie inside us — glam, hopeful, chaotic — but we also have a Charlotte who believes in joy, a Miranda who learns boundaries, and a Seema who doesn’t apologize for knowing her worth.

So here’s to our inner Carries — may they grow, may they heal, and may they finally block their exes.

And here’s to you, sweet reader — who is already asking bigger questions, making wiser choices, and sipping your iced coffee while honoring your own rhythm.

You don’t need to become anyone else’s main character — you’re the writer, the director, and the muse of your own damn show.

Now go light a candle, write a little love note to yourself, and let the cosmos remind you:

✨ You are the one you’ve been waiting for. ✨

Empowering your personal growth journey,

Gretchen

SOMATIC TRAUMA SPECIALIST + ENERGETIC INTUITIVE

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