Which emotion dominates you?

Disney Pixar’s Inside Out animation film was quite a revelation, as parents it gave us some amazing insights into the mind of a child, yes it’s just a movie but it helps. Inside Out 2 was even better, not just from the perspective of a child but also an adult.

Inside Out 2 picks up where the first left off, but now Riley,13, is raging with puberty. Joy and the original gang are still running the show in Headquarters, but suddenly, they're not alone. New, complex emotions crash the party - we're talking Anxiety, Jealousy, Embarrassment and even Ennui (yeah, I had to look that one up too). Anxiety, the new kid on the block, stages a coup and takes over Headquarters, in the process exiling our old friends, “for the sake of Riley”. But the original 5 stage a fight back.

First off, puberty. It's like someone hit the alarm, and it's blaring loud and red! The film nails this feeling, reminding us parents that, yeah, it probably will be this chaotic (remember your puberty?)

The introduction of these new, complex emotions leaves Riley out of control, quite literally. It's not just about being happy or sad anymore. Now we're dealing with anxiety, jealousy, embarrassment - emotions that even we adults struggle with. Watching Anxiety take charge was both fascinating and uncomfortably relatable.

What really struck me was how the film portrays the mind. It's not a neat, linear process. Instead, imagine a car being driven by ten people simultaneously, the one in real control is the one whose leg is on the brakes. For me, this movie was like getting a sneak peek into a 13-year-old girl's mind. It's chaotic, it's complex, and it's a reminder of how tough growing up can be, especially when it’s your own kid.

But here's the kicker - my wife pointed out that instead of taking notes for our daughter, I should be internalising this for myself. And sure she was right. I'm a total anxiety ball sometimes, and worse, I spread it around like a disease. Not cool, especially for the family.

I was doing some additional research on the film and came across this clip where the director, Kelsey, talks about lying in bed at night, mind racing about the next day - I felt that in my bones. It made me realize this movie isn't just for understanding our kids. It's for us too. It's a reminder that as we get older, our brains can trick us into seeing problems everywhere, always jumping to worst-case scenarios.

So, what's my big takeaway? Anxiety management isn't just for teens. It's something I need to work on too. The older we get, the more our minds can play tricks on us, making mountains out of molehills. This movie is a wake-up call to manage not just our emotions, but our expectations too.

Inside Out 2 isn't just a cute animation sequel. It's a powerful tool for parents trying to navigate the stormy seas of teenage emotions - and our own. It reminds us that understanding and managing our emotions is a lifelong journey. 

But I want to come back to this question

Which emotion dominates you?
The highlight of the film was on the domination of Anxiety and thinking of the worse, but the standout emotion for me in the film Ennui! Being lethargic, listless; basically lazy. I have seen truly brilliant people lack drive and anchored firmly by Ennui. Sometimes I too get grounded by this strong emotion, I just feel stuck and don’t feel like doing anything and the worst part is, it just sneaks up on you. It’s worth exploring which emotion dominates you and truly understand as to why and how can you get out of it, as a parent it will help you direct your child too.