Finding Our Inner Joy

In their award-winning 2015 film Inside Out, Disney’s Pixar introduced the world to the inner workings of our minds by exploring the development, memories and (most importantly) the emotions of Riley, an 11 year old girl that had just moved with her family from Minnesota to San Francisco. The movie zooms into Riley’s brain and focuses on her five emotions— Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger— as they cope with all the changes the move has brought. The film is an amazingly witty, entertaining, tear-jerking, and accurate representation of how our daily experiences, memories and personality are all shaped by our emotions.

Riley's typical day. Image from Disney's Pixar

Each moment in Riley’s day is documented with an orb that is sent to her brain’s headquarters in real time. Each of these orbs would take the signature color of the emotion that was controlling Riley in that moment, forever associating that memory with that feeling. Riley has always been this “happy girl” with Joy manning her emotional control panel a majority of the time. And it is no surprise that the orbs that chronicle Riley’s day-to-day activities carry Joy’s characteristic golden color.

After watching the film numerous times, I started to wonder which color dominated my daily memory orbs. Which emotion was most active in my head? And how can I get as many golden orbs in my head as Riley?

Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of our busy lives, it’s hard to make time for the things we really want to do. So here are a couple of ways I try to cultivate happiness and maximize the joyful moments even while balancing that long To-Do list. I hope that this can somehow help activate your inner Joy’s as well :)

1. Do Something Creative—

Having a routine can be really useful when managing a busy life because it brings structure and security. But sticking to the same routine every single day for months and years is not only boring, but it can dilute the sense of purpose in these tasks. It’s easy to get sucked into mindlessness and the “go through the motions” mentality. So break up the routine by doing something creative! Day dream for a little bit and let your imagination roam free. Indulge in the challenge of creating something out of nothing. Appreciate and value the creative process more than the final product.

Let your imagination run free. Images from Disney's Pixar

With art— whether that be painting, drawing, music, photography, or writing— there are no rules (and if you think writing is confined to the grammatical and spelling rules, I encourage you to read Daniel Key’s Flowers for Algernon). Thinking out of the box can be challenging and intimidating, especially since we’re used to structured step-by-step solutions. But finding our own way from point A to point B makes the arrival even more fulfilling.

I know sometimes it’s hard to take time to do art, especially if your schedule is too packed or you’re just learning a new art form. But we can integrate it in the way we approach problems and find solutions. Other than being a break from our usual routine, exercising creativity makes us better innovators, problem solvers and critical thinkers. Even if you stick with your routine, giving room for some creative thinking makes us more engaged and invested while also spicing up the dullness of repetition. Image

2. Do Something Nostalgic—

With my connection to Pixar’s Inside Out, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that I try to watch Disney movies or listen to Disney songs to brighten my day. But doing something nostalgic can also be looking through some old yearbooks, scrolling through your camera roll, reading old birthday notes and reaching out to old friends from high school. I think the magic of nostalgia is in its ability to bring us back to times that seemed simple.

While it may make us wish our life was like that still, it’s also a way to step back from the responsibilities of adulthood and just growing up. More importantly, it’s also a reminder of how much we’ve grown. Changes are one of the hardest things to endure in life but looking back through those years is a powerful reminder that we can push through any struggles we’re currently facing. That we’ve endured something that seemed impossible at one point in our lives. And there’s no reason we can’t do that again.

Good Ol' Days... Disney/Pixar

Images from Disney's Pixar

3. Do Something for Other People—

Do you remember Honda’s “Random Acts of Helpfulness” campaign? And seeing how happy those people were? Here’s one thing we don’t see in the commercials: the smiles of the Honda employees.

Supporting a cause that you care about is incredibly fulfilling and can have a positive impact you your life as well as those you are helping. There’s something special about caring other people-- whether it be the connection you make with those in need, seeing the impact you can have on someone else or just being a part of something bigger than yourself. There’s not much I can really say here because the experience is hard to describe in words (other than the cliche , but true, “warm fuzzy feeling”).

Helping other people doesn’t always entail hours of volunteering or showing up to someone’s door with a gigantic check. It can be something simple like holding the door for someone, giving a visitor on campus directions, or making breakfast for a family member. Spreading and sharing the love and happiness with other people intensifies the joy we have.

4. FEEL ALL THE FEELS—

Journaling, Reaching out to Loved Ones and Practicing Self-Care

So Riley isn’t always this “happy girl” in the film. All drastic changes from moving triggered something in Sadness, allowing her to make all of Riley’s joyful memories sad. Joy who has been the leader of Riley’s emotions tries to contain Sadness, revealing a “fascist” aspect of Joy’s personality, according Wisecrack’s Podcast Show Me the Meaning. This represents our society’s emphasis on being happy which encourages us to hide our weaknesses, appear like we have everything under control and make our lives seem absolutely idyllic.

It's ok to not be ok for a bit. Image from Disney/Pixar

But here’s the thing: there’s a reason we have emotions other than Joy. The emotions personified in the film are universal, according to psychologist Paul Ekman. There’s a biological need for all of these emotions. Eventually, Joy realizes that Sadness is essential for this moment in Riley’s life, a signal to her family that there’s something wrong. One of Sadness’s funniest, yet most relatable, lines of the film is “Crying lets me obsess over the weight of life’s problems.” Now I’m not saying to dwell in the negative. But Sadness is essential for reflection which allows the growth necessary to overcome that slump. Because of society’s emphasis on joy and instant gratification, it can be hard to accept any other emotions. But sometimes, we have to feel all the feels. Bottling it up, as we see in the film, can be disastrous.

In moments like these, journalling can be an incredibly helpful way to step back and reflect on what’s going on. It’s an incredibly personal experience— just you and that page— that allows us to separate ourselves from the pressures of society. Reaching out to those you trust— family, friends, a coach or teacher you know well— is key as well. And even if you’re not comfortable discussing how you feel, it’s a reminder that we’re not in this alone. Most importantly, practice self-care and self-compassion. Take a break from all the work, turn off social media, silence the noise and you’ll find your inner voice again. Do something you love without worrying about how it will look in the end or what other people might say about it. Get to know yourself again.

Sadness can be in a real drag sometimes. But without her we can’t grow stronger from the struggles we will inevitable face. She lets us see that we’re in a slump, but she will also emotionally prepare us to come out on the other side better than when we started.

5. Staying Grateful

Up to this point, I’ve talked about activities we can do to cultivate happiness and step back from the demands of our daily lives. But what do we do on those days we can’t squeeze in time for ourselves? When we’re juggling all the deadlines, extracurricular, assignments and exam prep? When it's hard to find something to be happy about?

I’ll admit that I am a workaholic. There are many days were I’m so caught up in homework that the only free time I have is walking to/from class and eating. But I am also a very optimistic person and try my best to not let the stress get to me. In my Passion Planner, I have a section for each week titled “Good Things That Happened.." Just before bed, I write the best moments that happened that day. And even if it was dedicated solely to schoolwork, I write about things that interested me in lecture, new people that I met in class, and remember how lucky I am to be attending college.

Remember all those memory orbs that Riley had? Those come from little moments in our daily life. Happiness doesn’t have to come from with fireworks or bottle of champagne. Our day is filled with tiny miracles that we can celebrate. Changing how we see the world and being grateful for those things pushes Joy towards your emotional control panel.

The key to getting all those golden orbs isn't thinking positive or seeing the best out of each situation. It's gratitude.