I have been looking forward to Inside Out 2 for weeks! My family loved Inside Out so much that my son had us watching it daily until I memorized large portions of it. I can still sing the Bing Bong song at the drop of a hat. And in the preview, when Anxiety asks where to put her things and holds up all that baggage? I laughed my head off because my anxiety comes with SO much baggage! But when I saw the film, I realized there were holes in the plot. Holes I hope to fill in this article.
New Emotions
Inside Out 2 introduces new, more complicated emotions as Riley becomes a teenager. And suddenly the “Puberty” button goes off.
First out is Anxiety, a hyperactive over-planner who is trying to help but ends up making things much worse. Much like anxiety in real life, she never lets you slow down or sleep.
Next is Envy, which they don’t develop except on a bare-bones level. Maybe that is because all of us know what envy is. But small kids won’t get it. Liking someone’s hair or outfit is not true envy. True envy is a dangerous thing. But that is an article for another time.
The third new emotion is Embarrassment. This emotion they did so well. He is exactly how my embarrassment feels. He wears a large hoodie and hides inside it most of the time. In one scene Riley is so embarrassed that Embarassmet gives up pushing buttons and just lays on the control console. It was hilarious!
And our last new emotion is Ennui, pronounced: “On-U-E”. They call her “the boredom” but she looks more like an Emo spaghetti noodle. I don’t like how they did this emotion. They barely explained what it was and then gave it little attention. I left with the impression this was more a self-defense mechanism and less an emotion.
Inside Out 2 also opens the door for a sequel by giving us a few glimpses of the emotion of Nostalgia. She is shown as an old lady but has a few very witty moments where she wanders into the room.
The Belief System
Another item Inside Out 2 introduces is Reily’s Belief System. It forms a beautiful tree and its roots are various memories that make Reily who she is. The film used random experiences as the nutrition that created the roots of the belief system. In the end, they stopped being selective with which memories went into the soup. I have some issues with this whole idea.
I disagree with their assessment that our belief system is formed only by random life experiences. The examples we are shown, the families we are raised in, and the communities we are a part of, all add to how we see ourselves. Along with that is an innate knowledge that we are something more than what we see in the mirror.
For example, I have always known that God is guiding me. There is just a feeling inside my heart that tells me so. And that is not something they can show in this movie. In trying to appeal to broad audiences they oversimplified the belief system.
Anxiety Taking Control
As the movie progresses Anxiety takes over. She bottles up the “old” emotions and drives Riley’s life off a cliff. I recognized all her tricks as my anxiety has played the same ones on me. Feeling like you have to control everything, working myself into exhaustion, imagining all the awful things that can happen; that was my daily playlist for a long time.
Inside Out 2 does a great job showing all that anxiety does to sabotage you. What it doesn’t do is give you real coping skills, and real ideas on how to get control of your anxiety. That is where the Skylight.org app has come into play in my life.
It is an amazing FREE app that guides you in dealing with anxiety, stress, overwhelm, and guides you to God. It’s non-denominational, and I find peace in every exercise. Truly the Skylight app should be how Reily deals with her emotions because the writer failed to give any definitive answers in that category.
Skylight is a spiritual wellness platform that integrates mental wellness strategies like meditation, yoga, and prayer with spiritual practices. It aims to aid individuals (specifically GenZennials aged 18-35) dealing with anxiety, stress, and other emotional challenges through a spiritual lens. Given the thematic relevance, Skylight seeks to raise awareness of how belief systems can play a critical role in managing mental health issues.
Since discovering it, I have used the Skylight app often. I have even texted it to many on my contact list. It’s truly an amazing tool and I highly recommend it. I especially love the affirmations to help with political stress. I will likely memorize them all by the time this presidential election is over. Its level-headed and Godly advice has helped me many times.
Mental Wellness/ Spiritual Wellness
In the movie the more anxiety Riley felt the further from her core values she drifted. She took greater risks and hurt the people she loved. I have found that my mental wellness is tied to my spiritual wellness. Like Riley when my mind isn’t right my spirit isn’t right either. Our bodies and minds are connected in ways we don’t fully understand. And our minds and souls are connected in similar ways.
Joy and Its Role In Our Lives
The final thought I have is about Joy. As a character, she is my favorite and is adorable. But in my life the only true source of joy is God. It’s only in drawing that parallel that I can feel joy and peace, the two are inseparable. In the final scene where Reily is asking for Joy, she is truly saying a prayer and reaching for God. And Joy is the innocence and connection to God we all need.
I liked Inside Out 2, they really got Anxiety right, but felt it ended too quickly. The characters needed to be fleshed out more. And the plot built up resolved far too fast for me. Even with that negative, I did like the movie. I liked how Anxiety seemed like an uncontrollable force until Joy stepped into the storm and saw her for what she was- frozen with fear.
I liked the message about how we can overcome anxiety and not let it rule our lives. And I liked the few coping strategies they mentioned. I’d go see the movie and then download the Skylight app. It’s the perfect finish to the story and lets you take the message of overcoming anxiety and apply it in real life.
If you are like me, and struggle with anxiety, don’t wait to get support. The Skylight app is a safe and easy place to begin. But I have also found professional counseling helps. Sometimes you have to visit a couple of professionals before finding the right fit, but when you do it’s amazing. This world of ours seems to feed anxieties and it is our challenge to overcome and stay focused on what matters. Good luck in your journey!
*Skylight paid for my ticket to see Inside Out 2, but all the opinions expressed above are my own.
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