With Pixar's Inside Out 2 now in theaters, I wanted to share some reflections on the first movie. I must admit, as a father of two—one recently graduated from high school and the other graduating next year—I somehow missed this movie. However, in preparation for Inside Out 2, we had a family movie night and watched it together. It was an amazing experience filled with profound insights. So, although late, I believe these thoughts are still relevant. In the upcoming posts, I'll delve into Inside Out with insights and practical tips to aid you and your loved ones on your emotional journey.
The movie takes us through our "internal selves," exploring how we process complex emotions through Riley's primary emotions: joy, sadness, anger, fear, and disgust. A key lesson from Inside Out is the importance of our emotions and their interconnectedness. Travis Langley, PhD, beautifully explains this in his Psychology Today article, "Inside Out: Emotional Truths by Way of Pixar."
In the first movie, we learn that sadness is crucial for connecting with joy. As Langley notes, "Sadness allows for connection; when we see someone else feeling sad, we might feel sad too (this emotion is called empathy) and might want to alleviate their sadness (this is compassion)."
Considering this, a beneficial activity is letter writing—perhaps to your younger self, akin to a journal entry. Writing a letter to your 11-year-old self can help identify, express, address, and heal your thoughts. You could also write to someone no longer in your life, or express thoughts and feelings you wish you had shared with a former mentor, teacher, or friend. Choose a specific age or event when you experienced sadness and explore how it connects to joy. Here are some prompts to guide you:
- How has that experience shaped who you are today? Celebrate how it may have strengthened you, even if it initially triggered a trauma response.
- What advice would you give your younger self if you could? Write down what you've learned since then.
- Be kind to yourself and acknowledge the person you've become. What about that experience can you now connect to joy?
Thank you all, and I look forward to your comments. Stay tuned for more insights from Inside Out in the upcoming posts. And if you've seen the second movie, please share but remember to provide spoiler alerts! 😊
Mahalo,
Danny
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