In Pixar’s recent movie ‘Soul’ we see the protagonist, Joe, pulled away from his ordinary life into the ‘Great Before’ where souls undergo training before they’re allowed to land on Earth and inhabit human bodies. In the same space are ‘lost souls’ which end up being trapped in laborious jobs, becoming overly obsessed with something, or feeling inadequate and purposeless.
With the UK entering it’s third lockdown, Twitter and other social media platforms have been flooded with posts surrounding similar thoughts and feelings, but also around the larger topic of mental health and wellbeing. So for those who many not have Disney +, here are some of the top lessons from ‘Soul’ to remember during lockdown:
Feeling lost is not unusual
Lockdown had a major impact on the UK’s mental health, including increased rates of suicide. London’s ambulances alone attended 60% more suicides or attempted suicides per day than in 2019. So if you’re feeling alone in your current mental state then know that you’re not weak, it won’t last forever, and you’re definitely not the only one.
Soul is particularly unique as a Pixar film because it follows a single middle aged man who has no real close relationships. It is eluded to that he had a love interest in the past but that storyline was not developed at all, it was mainly about middle aged Joe who ultimately achieves his life dreams, but still feels a sense of unfulfillment/unhappiness. The end of his journey was not his success.
Kemp Powers Co-Director of Story and Screenplay said he loves the fact that the film shows all lives have merit, and he hopes it’s conveyed. “It’s this idea that you don’t have to have it all figure out.” We need support at all stages of our lives.
Be mindful
Watching the trainee soul ’22’ experience joy from simply being is such a reminder of magnitude of the little things in our ordinary lives. We get so caught up in accomplishing this and achieving that we sometimes forget to stop and smell the roses without taking an insta snap. We neglect ourselves and don’t live in the now.
Mindfulness is being fully present and engaged in the moment, aware of your thoughts and feelings without distraction or judgment. It’s important learn how to appreciate the present, the moment you’re currently in, and celebrate every opportunity, good or bad, for it means you were fortunate enough to experience life. Have a watch of Netflix’s Headspace series to learn how to do it and more on it’s benefits.
A gratitude journal can be a helpful tool to assist with this practice. We shouldn’t forget what really makes us feel alive and that even the little things in life are important. Having gratitude for every little thing or interaction that you have on your life journey enriches your life more than chasing after happiness.
Connect with others
It’s easy to get caught up when we’re seeking something we are in a dark place or focused on one part of our lives which is less than perfect. Like Joe on his mission to get his body back, we tend to forget that others around us have feelings, too. When the middle-school teacher started seeing his life lived through 22, he saw himself treating people differently. Apparently, he had been so absorbed in his ambitions, he failed to connect with people in his life—from his barber to his mother.
But being a helpful hand or listening ear to someone else doe not only help them, it helps yourself. A team of sociologists tracked 2000 people over a 5 year period and found that Americans who described themselves as “very happy” volunteered at least 5.8 hours per month. Another study showed that older individuals who volunteered for at least 200 hours a year decreased their risk of hypertension by a 40%. Take a page out of 22’s book and show interest in others and give them the chance to speak.
Be flexible
We do ourselves a disservice by believing that we have one sole purpose in life. We are complex and multifaceted beings, emphasis on beings as a verb – active. We are designed to grow, learn, change.
At the barbershop Joe assumes Dez always wanted to be a barber, because that’s his gift. We learn that Dez actually wanted to be a vet but after his daughter became ill he pursued barber school instead of veterinarian school. Things don’t always go as planned, he adapted and went on to have a great life he appreciates and develops a new talent. The same can be said for ourselves in situations from looking for a new job to figuring out how to live a more healthy and fulfilled life. What was is not always the best way.
By @CillaHope
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