Embracing All Emotions In The Quest For Self
*SPOILER ALERT*
The film “Inside Out 2” takes us back into Riley’s head, but this time she’s a teenager, and things are getting complicated.
Remember how in the first movie, Joy was running the show, trying to keep everything happy and positive (which to be honest, she hasn’t quite let go of that mission just yet, right?). Well, that's kind of like how kids see themselves - all sunshine and rainbows.
In the first film, we saw Joy, the dominant emotion, curating Riley’s core memories and shaping her personality islands. Joy learns some hard lessons the first time around but since then has fallen into a similar pattern of only using the “best” of the best memories in developing Riley’s sense of Self. She even goes so far as to discard less positive memories into the far reaches of Riley’s mind using her own homemade tube tunnel. This reflects how children often view themselves through simplified, idealized lens.
But as Riley continues to grow, new emotions show up led by Anxiety. And boy, does Anxiety shake things up!
Suddenly, Riley’s not just thinking about the good stuff anymore. Through the influence of Anxiety, Riley starts worrying about things, feeling unsure, and questioning herself. It’s like when you start noticing all the awkward moments and start overthinking everything. We’ve all been there, right?
Joy and Anxiety start butting heads, which is pretty much what it feels like to be a teenager. One minute you’re on top of the world, the next you’re freaking out about a pimple. It’s all part of growing up and figuring out who you are.
Yet, the conflict between Joy and Anxiety symbolizes the internal struggle many adolescents face. Joy represents the desire to maintain a positive self-image, while Anxiety embodies the newfound awareness of life’s complexities and potential pitfalls. This struggle is a crucial part of growing up, as teenagers learn to balance optimism with realism.
The pivotal moment in the movie comes when Joy attempts to restore Riley’s previous, predominantly positive sense of Self, only to find that it no longer fits!
This beautifully illustrates a fundamental truth about adolescent development: as we grow, our understanding of ourselves becomes more nuanced and complex.
Riley’s natural inclination to rebuild her sense of Self using ALL her experiences, not just the positive ones, is a powerful message about self-acceptance and emotional maturity.
“Inside Out 2 offers a powerful message: true emotional growth and self-understanding come from embracing ALL parts of ourselves, including the parts that make us anxious or sad. It’s not about eliminating negative emotions, but about learning to understand and integrate them into our overall sense of self. It’s a hopeful and empowering message about self-acceptance and the beauty of our complex, multi-faceted identities.
Are you looking to understand yourself and the parts of yourself in more depth?
Take the first step with Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. Our experienced IFS-informed therapists are here to guide you as you:
Gain deeper insights into your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours
Learn to communicate with and heal different parts of yourself
Develop emotional intelligence and resilience
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