After thinking it over, "Inside Out 2" is probably my favorite movie of 2024. What touched me the most about this film is how it personifies emotions, depicting their diversity and ways of coexistence. Joy, sadness, anger, anxiety... none of them are absolutely good or bad; it is the interplay of these emotions that forms a complete self. If I were to define my emotional team, perhaps like the movie's protagonist, "Anxious" is the brain guardian ready to blow the whistle at any moment, keeping me alert but often leaving me exhausted.
The Emotions of Growth: Where Did Joy Go?#
Joy in childhood seems so easily accessible. Little toys from the grocery store, boneless chicken strips from the school nearby, even just watching the clouds outside can bring happiness. However, as I grow older, I find that joy is no longer the main theme of every day. It doesn't jump out as boldly as it did in childhood; instead, it becomes more hidden. Sometimes it feels like joy has tucked itself away, and I even wonder if it has disappeared. But in reality, joy has always been there, perhaps just overshadowed by stronger emotions. Anxiety, fear, and anger can dominate, making joy seem small and fragile.
So, how do we call forth the hidden joy? It relies on actively seeking. Joy is not something that comes to us; it is an invitation from our hearts to life.
The Nature of Emotions: Neutral and Meaningful#
We often simplify emotions into categories: joy is good, sadness is bad; anger is unacceptable, and calmness is what we should pursue. But that's not the case. Emotions themselves are neutral; they are our way of connecting with life.
When I learned to be aware of my emotions, I found that I began to understand the meaning of their existence. For example, in a moment of disappointment, I would tell myself, "Oh, here comes sadness." In a situation that makes my heart race, I would recognize, "This is anxiety at work." This awareness made me realize that every emotion has its reason for arriving, all to help me feel and protect myself better.
Emotions are not something to be controlled; they are the language we use to converse with ourselves.
Facing Anxiety: Acceptance or Resistance?#
Anxiety is the most prominent member of my emotional team. It makes me afraid of making mistakes, worried about the future, and even often makes me hear phantom phone vibrations. I used to want to rid myself of this "terrible" feeling, telling myself "don't be anxious," but the result was that anxiety only intensified. Later, I tried a different approach: coexisting with anxiety. Just like the film shows, anxiety is never an enemy; it is more like an overly tense friend that needs me to listen and soothe it, rather than trying to drive it away. The arrival of anxiety is not to torment me, but to remind me to pay attention to certain issues.
The key to embracing anxiety is not to "eliminate it," but to allow it to exist and gradually find opportunities for growth in the process of coexisting with it. Anxiety isn't that scary; it might just be a signal from your inner self seeking change. Try starting with small things to practice acceptance, focus on actions in the present, and give yourself enough patience, just like a farmer should not blame crops for not growing fast enough, but learn to respect the laws of nature.
Embracing the Whole Self#
Perhaps what "Inside Out 2" wants to tell us is that everyone's emotional team is there to help themselves live better. Anxiety, fear, anger, they are not always pleasant, but their existence is significant.
When we try to embrace all emotions instead of rejecting those "negative" parts, we can truly approach a complete self. Anxiety is not frightening, anger is not shameful, and sadness is not weakness. They are our companions, the signposts in life.
"Where did joy go?" This is the question the movie left me with, and also the question I leave for myself. Joy has not disappeared; it is simply hidden in some corner of our hearts, waiting for us to find it back in a gentle way.
In your emotional team, who is the leader? What do they bring you? Perhaps when you learn to converse with them, you will find that these emotions are not just waves of feelings; they are also the answers to life.
I hope we can all coexist peacefully with our emotional teams and find a more complete self in the process of accepting them.
(Of course, I still often feel anxious, and despite hearing many truths, I still struggle to live this life well, but I am more willing to coexist with it. Everyone in my emotional team is thinking about how to make me better and happier. I also need to work hard to discover ways to find joy.)