After watching the first Inside Out movie, I immediately fell in love. And not because I’m a big Pixar fan, the original classic Pixar movies that is. But I felt that Inside Out speaks to everyone in a different way. Kids can enjoy it as a fun movie, but for us adults, it transcends so much more.

So when I found out that the second movie was coming out, I had mixed reactions. Sequels can go either way. It was either going to be a huge flop or it was going to be another epic movie. Last Saturday I finally managed to go watch it, and I was not disappointed.

But before I continue…

Disclaimer: I’m not a film critic, and in no way, I’m aiming to be one when writing this piece. I’m merely just listing down my thoughts after watching the movie, combining with other thoughts and reflections that I’ve built along the way.

Disclaimer 2: I’m probably not going to give out any spoilers, but if you intend to watch the movie, I suggest that you do that first and then come back to reading this. You know… just in case 🙂

Anyways, back to Inside Out 2… this is the kind of movie that speaks to each and everyone of us in a different way, depending on what we’re going through in life. I bet that if I rewatch it in ten years time, I would take away different messages and lessons.

But in the present, here are my thoughts after watching Inside Out 2:

• As an anxious person, I felt seen when they included Anxiety as part of the set of emotions that everyone has. I think that even though not everyone exhibits anxiety in the same way, it’s still there. In some of us it sometimes takes a little bit over the rest, and that’s okay. It’s how we are wired. We just have to learn how to live with it.
• When life gets a bit too much, it’s okay to sit down, stare into the abyss and just breathe. There is one scene close to the end of the movie, which I think is one of the crucial moments in the whole movie. It shows the freeze effect that anxiety can have on us. I think one of the most important things that a person with anxiety needs to acknowledge is that sometimes you just need to sit with it. Sit there, breathe, take in all the emotions that are washing over you until it starts to make sense. That moment right there, that’s what makes you stronger. While writing this, I’m trying to come up with a reason why it will make you stronger, but it’s difficult to put it into words. If you’ve been through it you’ll know. 
• Each and every emotion we experience makes us who we are. Be it feeling goofy when hanging out with friends who get you, crying your heart out when you see a chick-flick, feeling bored when someone keeps going on and on about something that you don’t care about, feeling so afraid when you’re on a roller coaster, feeling envious of people who look like they have it all. It’s totally normal, and we need to acknowledge that having all these emotions is what makes us who we are, unique in our own way. 
• Finding your people. Being able to be open about your emotions, your triggers and feeling accepted for who you really are. I think this is one of the most essential factors of being human. 

This last point is merely an add-on, it’s not portrayed that much in the movie, but I think it comes part and parcel with the whole vibe of it. Find someone, who is there for you through thick and thin, who you don’t have to walk on eggshells around, and you can just be your anxious, sometimes crier, but also goofy, weird self. When you find that person or persons, it will feel so much easier. I’m not saying that life will be all butterflies and rainbows, but knowing that there are people who have your back, will put your mind at ease and when that freeze moment arrives, you can just think of them, breathe and life will feel a little bit better.