What Inside Out 2 taught me about Emotions
Inside Out 2 - A movie filled with emotions (literally and figuratively).
The release of the movie sequel brought cheers and excitement to many of us who are passionate about mental health.
It tells the story of a 12-year-old girl, Riley as she navigates the challenges of puberty with the appearance of new emotions - Anxiety, Embarrassment, Envy and Boredom.
Although I have passed the stage of a teenager, I could still relate to the storyline as lessons on the complexity of human emotions and importance of self-acceptance are still very relevant and serve as timely reminders.
(P.S. Spoiler alert! - parts of the plot have been revealed below, so read on only if you’ve watched)
Here are 5 things I learnt from the movie - Inside Out 2:
1. Every emotion matters
In the movie, there are a total of 9 emotions - Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, Disgust, Anxiety, Boredom, Embarrassment and Envy. What really struck me was that the story did not label the emotions as “positive” or “negative” but are all equally important with their role and purpose.
Prior to the movie, I would have perceived Joy as the only emotion that is associated with being “positive” while the others as “negative”- something I would want to avoid or get rid of.
Instead, we saw in the movie that all these emotions work together in Riley’s mind to help her to overcome different challenges.
Just like what Anxiety said in the movie:
“We all have a job to do. Joy makes Riley happy. Sadness makes her sad. Fear protects Riley from the scary stuff she can see and Anxiety protects Riley from the scary stuff she can’t see.”
It is a good reminder for us to recognise and accept all our emotions as part of who we are.
2. We don’t have to be happy and positive all the time
One of the memorable scenes from the movie was when Joy surprised everyone when she burst into anger, exclaiming how hard it is to stay positive all the time, something that is out of her character.
We are used to hearing advice like ‘Stay positive’, ‘Don’t be so sad’. Perhaps, we should cut ourselves some slack by not forcing ourselves to be happy all the time. It is okay to experience all the emotions and have good and not so good days.
As all our emotions are important, we shouldn't try to avoid or get rid of any one. Sometimes, allowing space to express our emotions is just what we need, just like how Riley had a moment to express her sadness when she found out that her friends were not going to be in the same high school as her.
3. Changes are part of growing up and it’s okay
One of the new emotions experienced by Riley was Anxiety when she struggled to fit into the new environment and make new friends.
In a scene from the movie, Joy said:
“I don't know how to stop Anxiety. Maybe that’s what happens when you grow up, you feel less joy.”
This quote resonated with me deeply. In my encounters with children recently, I pondered on why adults seem to be less happy after growing up as compared to children. I wondered, do we really lose joy as we grow up? Is it impossible to be happy again?
The movie shed a new perspective for me. Changes are part of growing up, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing! These challenges help us grow as a person. The key is not about protecting ourselves from “negative emotions” while growing up but teaching ourselves to embrace all of them, to understand them and express them healthily. Only then can we achieve a balanced mental state of mind and build a stronger sense of self.
4. Emotions are useful until they take over us
It is heart wrenching seeing how Riley changed throughout the story to become someone she is not. As she strives to fit into a new environment, she changes herself from the way she walks, things she eats and how she styled her hair. Overtime, she loses her sense of self, when the Anxiety of trying to fit in took over her.
At the end of the story, Anxiety apologized and said she was just trying to protect Riley. Indeed, Anxiety isn’t there to hurt us intentionally. It is there to alert us of potential danger. But if we are not careful and let Anxiety take over us, it will lead to overthinking and cause unnecessary stress to us.
What I have learnt from the movie is that the problem was not the existence of emotions (the appearance of Anxiety for this case) but when Anxiety took over Riley and defined who she was.
It is a good reminder for us to be aware and check in with ourselves, “How am I feeling?” and “Which emotion is driving me at this moment?”
We are not our emotions, and we can choose to either hold on or let go of the emotions that come to us and not let them become part of who we are.
5. We become what we believe
The movie showed how Riley’s experiences shaped her beliefs. Different beliefs intertwined and formed her ‘sense of self’ which influenced how she viewed herself and others.
We saw how Riley’s sense of self shifted as she started believing ‘I am not good enough’ with beliefs formed by her anxious thoughts.
The presence of self-doubt resonated with me while growing up as opinions of others and society’s expectations made me feel less worthy of who I am.
This was a good reminder for us to examine our beliefs that are driving us as a person for they shape who we are.
What are the beliefs that are driving us?
Are they from us or someone else?
Are they helpful or unhelpful?
Summary
The movie highlighted the complexity of human emotions and challenges of growing up. Regardless of which stage of life we are in, we will experience new things, new emotions, all for the first time. It is important to accept all of us and allow ourselves to feel messy sometimes. Most importantly, let’s not lose ourselves during this journey.
To everyone who has struggled or is currently struggling with their complex emotions and challenges in life, you are not alone. This movie is for the inner child in us.