This Saturday had a great time watching the movie Turning Red with my children. The child in us still yearns for the animated movies, which is often times loaded with remarkable substance and message.
Pixar’s latest film Turning Red is a great analogy to emotion management and also creating a support group to express them occasionally. Turning Red is a 2022 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios. The movie is a narrative about Mei, a young but mature girl who is ready to grow up and join the world of adults working around her. While Mei initially thinks that she has everything figured out, she soon realises that there is a lot more to growing up than meets the eye and that even adults don’t know everything!!
The movie is a wakeup call for us to accept ourselves as we are, rather than constantly pleasing the world around us! While understanding and accommodating others is important, accepting and expressing oneself is also critical.
The 3 fundamental take aways from the movie are:
- Prioritizing the Fun in life: Fun and happiness are important aspects of life that can keep us charged for all things that we want to accomplish. Travelling, painting, reading, spending time with friends or gardening whatever gives pleasure can be a great dopamine booster. Mei and her friends find different ways to create fun in life which also develops their inner talents.
- Accepting your authentic self -Often we feel we are here to constantly please others which in turn restrains our ability to be authentic. Unleashing the panda in us from time to time can help us stay in tune with our inner being.
- Creating an inner circle who are not judgmental – When people constantly judge us it creates burnout. We are able to give our best in environments where we are accepted -nurtured and encouraged. Thus, creating an inner circle of friends and family who boost your confidence and cheer lead you, can be very positive therapy method in this volatile world!!
Do you have friends and family to express yours joys or sorrows? Do you suppress your emotions and curb the panda in you? How do you balance work, emotion and fun to lead a more fulfilling life?
Do explore watching Turning Red on Netflix to find your inner child!
drsonaliduttabaanerjee 