It’s important to keep the inner child happy. Leaning into the hobbies & activities that give us joy, is important. For myself, Lego, Word Search puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, reading, dancing and cycling were the things that gave me the most joy. They continued on as I got older, to the point where I still indulge, but just not as frequently as I used to. Inside Out 2 is the sequel to what I believed was a top 5 Pixar movie, because of the subject content that dealt with our emotions, and how growing up sheds our joys as we learn to adapt and harness different emotions to make us who we are. It’s important viewing for all ages, because a lot of us shy away from mindfulness, to the point where we neglect our emotions, and run on autopilot, just for the sake of keeping up with the notion that ‘nobody cares – keep moving,’ and that isn’t all the way true. I can’t say that I welcomed therapy at first with open arms until I was dealing with a crisis, but I’m glad I made the decision to do so.

This edition of the series brings us new characters that sprout when the main character, Riley, goes through puberty. Anxiety, embarrassment, envy, and ennui (I won’t lie, that was a new one for me) added more complexity to Riley’s personality, and as the movie went along, there were a lot of truths that were unveiled about how us humans operate when we don’t have a handle on the emotions that we’re facing.

Admittedly so, anxiety has played a large role in my life, and I didn’t really start addressing it and putting into more thoughtful practice until recently. Operating out of a fear-based mindset does nothing but prolong more stress, and builds more anxiety later in life. I absolutely did conduct my life out of fear that I would disappoint. First it was my Mom, then it was the unnecessary pressure I put on myself to be a good role model for my younger cousins, and not wanting to bring about shame to my family, even though those were all projections of expectations never expressed. I was so determined on wanting to be a ‘good person,’ that I would feel like the sky is falling if I disappointed someone by making a misstep. That affected both friendships & relationships. It’s my responsibility to bear, but I don’t have regrets about how I went about things. I made a lot of decisions rooted in anxiety, and the hardest thing about shedding that behaviour, is letting go of the safety behaviours I was comfortably immersed in, to really get to the root of who I am at the core.

It’s human to evolve, change opinions, find a new tribe, and do what works for you. It’s the same as picking up a new hobby, and seeing where it takes you, if you intend to go anywhere with it. I started going to the gym in 2018, and that changed a lot. I started boxing in 2024, and I feel like that has already made me feel more enhanced in a way that I haven’t felt in a long time. It’s bittersweet to feel lighter when you’ve lost, because there’s a weight that you still wish was on you, because it felt like a weighted blanket; it held you down, it gave you comfort, and it put your mind at ease. Growing is painful, and being avoidant doesn’t do much to help you get out of old habits. That’s something I really had to confront this year. Therapy has absolutely been a great outlet, but applied knowledge is power, and the power I had to possess within myself was meeting confrontation and the ugly conversations head on. Why is that relevant as it pertains to Inside Out 2? Without giving too much away, Anxiety and Joy clash with each other, and each one battles for which emotion has the most control over Riley.

We strive to maintain our joy to the point where it can be toxic because all we want to do is toss people aside for the sake of keeping the peace, and retaining joy. As we get older, it feels much more like a chore, because of the societal pressures of being an adult, and capitalism making it more expensive for us to maintain the ways in which we want to live. Anxiety feels like a pre-installed app when we buy a new computer, buried in layers of folders, that gives us 15 steps to uninstall, to the point where we just dismiss it. The movie talks about projections, which I thought was brilliant, and the writing is simple and effective enough that it doesn’t feel like a therapy session, but the movie itself is therapeutic. 

As the cliche goes, we’re all a work in progress; we’re never going to be perfect people, but we can do enough to acknowledge where we have our struggles, and do what we can to strengthen them. That’s been the theme for me in 2024, because no one wants to be in a revolving door that denies progress. I owe it to myself to be better, but it requires being more patient, and embracing the shortcomings as they come, because they will. Being honest with who you are, and honouring all parts of yourself (thanks Jono) is key to being proud of the person you are. It happens for everyone at their own time, and although this movie wasn’t a grand sweeping eureka moment for me, it served as a great reminder that we’re all in this together. I highly recommend this movie, regardless if it’s yourself or someone you love. Do enjoy, and take care of yourself.

That’s My Word & It STiXX