Above: A recent self-portrait shoot I did recreating a Degas painting. I was so excited that the end result reminded me of a Barbie princess movie!!
Watch a kids’ movie.
No, seriously. Watch a kids’ movie!
Life gets crazy, and we need to be reminded of the basics that are baked into our favorite childhood television programs and movies:
- Be kind to everyone.
- Don’t lie.
- Friendship is magical
- You can do it [life].
- Family is important.
- Celebrate differences.
When I’m particularly stressed, I find myself scrolling through Disney+, looking for my childhood wonder.
The first Tinkerbell movie taught me that we should celebrate what makes us unique. Everyone has a gift that can serve the world.
Beauty and the Beast taught me to not judge people by what’s on the outside (although that led to other issues in my dating life eventually, but that’s a different topic).
Home On The Range taught me about loyalty and found family.
The Secret of NIMH taught me to be brave and stand up for those I love (while having the coolest creepy artwork!!!).
“I’ll Be Brave, Too!”
Where I work, we make kids’ shows, and I was watching an episode to review it. The narrator was speaking about resilience, and soon enough I was tearing up, urging the main character (a duck) to forge ahead!
Yes, little duck! I thought. I know it’s hard now, but keep going!
I just needed that simple reminder about the importance of building resilience, boiled down into simple terms even a child can understand.
Lessons in Movies for Adults…
The lessons as an adult are more nuanced or, dare I say it, even fly in the face of what we were told as a kid.
“Be loyal to friends” becomes “cheat on your partner” (looking at you, rom coms). We root for the gossips, the liars, the cheats. We know Edward Cullen isn’t a healthy person, but we still want him with Bella, and who cares anyways?!
I’ll still do an entire Oregon/Forks trip though…hehe…
Shows are built with casts who are thoroughly unlikable but get away with it because of nostalgia and/or good looks.
Maybe it’s because it’s nice to watch drama that makes us feel, but has absolutely zero impact on our lives. Or maybe we relate with these people more than we know, but we feel safer admitting it when we’re alone in our apartments chowing down on junk food.
But, just like junk food, it’s easy to consume and feels good in the moment…but maybe a steady diet isn’t what the world needs more of.
Maybe it’s the shows with bears and fairies and robots who make friends and learn to forgive. When life gets complicated, go back to the basics.
Maybe the real magic all along is the friends we make along the way.
Side note: This is a serious recommendation to watch the Tangled show available on Disney+. Why did I feel so seen?? Rapunzel is learning to speak up for herself and stop being such a people pleaser without discernment. There’s even episodes that seem more like couple therapy than a kid’s show. Plus, the art is epic. Let me know what you think!
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