{"id":1869,"date":"2024-06-14T15:27:06","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T20:27:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/?p=1869"},"modified":"2024-06-14T15:56:46","modified_gmt":"2024-06-14T20:56:46","slug":"inside-out-2-strikes-an-emotional-and-spiritual-balance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/2024\/06\/inside-out-2-strikes-an-emotional-and-spiritual-balance\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside Out 2 Strikes an Emotional and Spiritual Balance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Author\u2019s Note<\/strong>: Minor spoilers are ahead if you haven\u2019t seen Inside Out 2<\/em>. Bookmark this, go to the movies and come back for an important story.<\/h6>\n Pixar Studios has an unparalleled ability to beautifully bring obscure topics to life, such as their visceral journey into emotional development with Inside Out 2.\u00a0<\/em>We live in a world of sequels and prequels. Yet, Riley\u2019s (Kaitlyn Dias, now Kensington Tallman) adolescent journey is why these films can be a much-celebrated and welcomed idea.<\/p>\n In the original 2015 film, we met Riley and the embodiments of her emotions\u2013Joy<\/strong> (Amy Poehler), Sadness<\/strong> (Phyllis Smith), Fear<\/strong> (Bill Hader, now Tony Hale), Disgust<\/strong> (Mindy Kaling, now Liza Lapira), and Anger<\/strong> (Lewis Black).<\/p>\n As we trek through the islands of personality, a long-term memory pneumatic tube, the subconscious mind, Imagination Land, meeting \u201cBing Bong\u201d (Richard Kind) and diving into the abyss of the Memory Dump, we see much more than Riley\u2019s formative years.<\/p>\n Exploring and understanding multifaceted feelings during the tumultuous teen years is necessary for our identities. Sentiments like that may be overlooked in the original. Yet, in Inside Out 2,<\/em> those raging emotions are on full display.\u00a0<\/em>Pixar shows us the intrinsic balance of our emotions with these films.<\/p>\n That collection of passion and pain is the fervor that provides God\u2019s children with a complete life.<\/p>\n Mental Health\u2019s Balance Becoming a Tightrope Act<\/h2>\n In life, we encounter new emotions like (from L to R) embarrassment, Anxiety, envy, and dissatisfaction or \u201cennui.\u201d (Image credit: Adam Habib\/Jonathan Pytko via Pixar Studios and The Walt Disney Company)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Riley\u2019s emotional wellness mirrors how most of us learn to manage our feelings. Childhood dreams can evolve into pre-adolescent nightmares, or so it seems. Without returning to \u201cheadquarters,\u201d all emotions\u2014and Bing Bong\u2014struggle to become more mature and find their place.<\/p>\n In the original, sadness learns to become empathy with Bing Bong, fear becomes a practical concern, and even anger transforms into determination.<\/p>\n During Inside Out 2,\u00a0<\/em>we are introduced to the more visible and active teen emotions, such as Anxiety<\/strong> (Maya Hawke), Envy<\/strong> (Ayo Edebiri), Embarrassment<\/strong> (Paul Walter Hauser), Nostalgia<\/strong> (June Squibb), and Ennui<\/strong> (Ad\u00e8le Exarchopoulos). The latter can also be considered \u201cmeh,\u201d as young people of Riley\u2019s age can attest.<\/p>\n As they did in the first movie, every emotion plays bumper cars inside Riley\u2019s heart, mind, and soul. The fascinating portrayal is how they work together to create a healthy mix of growth and maturity.<\/p>\n " God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46:1-3 NIV<\/a>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In the much-awaited sequel, we go to hockey camp. As it is understanding puberty, Riley struggles throughout the film, underscoring its importance as it relates to other areas of her life. She is evolving personally and learning to express feelings with her friend group, Grace (Grace Lu) and Bree (Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green). Some of Riley\u2019s most impressionable years were with those two, but her entire personality changes when she learns her friends are attending a different high school next year.<\/p>\n Coming to grips with that is the conflict and focus throughout the film. As we watch Riley struggle with the traffic jam of emotions, we\u2019re forced to consider several personal questions, such as:<\/p>\n \nDo old emotions we had when we were younger still help us today?<\/li>\nIs there such a healthy amount of a \u201cnegative feeling\u201d?<\/li>\nHow can we grow during uncomfortable decisions?<\/li>\nCan polarizing feelings work together for any personal benefit?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n***** ** *****Most people answer those questions in their search for refuge and strength at any year. However, it\u2019s usually around puberty that we begin to face self-awareness. In the movie, Anxiety says a group of more seasoned\u2013and banished\u2013emotions, what adolescence usually screams at us: \u201cOkay, Riley. Let\u2019s change everything about you.\u201d<\/p>\n Inside Out 2 Introduces Complex Emotions to God\u2019s Creation<\/h2>\n Confronting multifaceted emotions, like Anxiety, can become a difficult task, as we learn in \u201cInside Out 2.\u201d (Image credit: Adam Habib\/Jonathan Pytko via Pixar Studios and The Walt Disney Company)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n******* ** *******Core to those emotions is the rollercoaster Riley rides in and out of that discovery, one we all must this tall<\/em> to get on and enjoy. As the original film ends, a flashing red light is on a new headquarters console.<\/p>\n " \u201cWhat\u2019s Poo<\/em>-berty?\u201d asks Disgust.<\/p>\n******* ** Joy responds, \u201cIt\u2019s probably not important.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n ** If only that were the case.<\/strong><\/p>\n ** *******Teenagers face substantial stressors, beginning in their \u201cpre-teen\u201d years of 11 and 12. Usually, our character of Anxiety enters the picture as we become self-conscious about height, weight, growth, and an approach to social situations.<\/p>\n Skylight.org<\/a>, a reflective website with spiritual wellness practices geared to help young people comprehend what to do with their self-awareness, offers a faith and wellness study<\/a> from Gallup. The analysis helps us understand those complex emotions most young adults face today.<\/p>\n While \u201cspirituality\u201d or a sense of faith isn\u2019t discussed directly in Inside Out 2,\u00a0<\/em>introducing the new emotions underscores the need for purpose.<\/strong> The study shows people who \u201cfrequently pray or meditate are 47% more likely to have a sense of mission and purpose in life.\u201d<\/p>\n The National Institute on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports<\/a> that 60% of children than age report being more stressed about life than parents at their age. Why? See the poll, as well as this movie.<\/p>\n " Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses found in teens with\u00a0statistics<\/a>\u00a0showing that four percent of 10\u201314-year-olds and five percent of 15-19 year-olds experienced an anxiety disorder. Depression is the second most common teen mental health disorder with an estimated 13 percent affected by this issue.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Now that Riley is 13, puberty and its accompanying stressors are in total circulation on this ride. Opinions become beliefs. Facts become obscure. Peer pressure and borderline idolatry enter the picture when the acclaimed girls\u2019 hockey athlete meets Val (played by the mononymously known Lilimar). And with the meddlesome relationship between Joy and Anxiety, Riley becomes conflicted in a compelling way.<\/p>\n She wants to impress Val and her coach. Riley struggles with the loss of her friends. Ultimately, she sacrifices what her parents taught her. As a result, she loses her sense of self. The rollercoaster stops twists and turns when Riley finds herself again and comes to terms with life\u2019s changes.<\/p>\n " And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 NIV)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n We all have a purpose, but where can someone search for it? That is unless you consider the words of the Bible.<\/strong><\/p>\n Riley doesn\u2019t open a KJV, but she does have times of reflection, crisis, meditation and growth. In collaboration with Patheos, Skylight is a tool Riley could use to learn more about her struggles and manage her emotions.<\/p>\n Image credit: Skylight.org<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n If you\u2019re reading this review of\u00a0Inside Out 2\u00a0<\/em>and wondering how to deal with those complex feelings, listen to like-minded young adults who offer daily affirmations<\/a>, topical prayer<\/a>, yoga lessons, and music of all types<\/a> to help you relax and sleep in peace.<\/p>\n While this is a wholesome and heartwarming movie about Riley, every teen could experience a mental health<\/a> trigger or two. Be prepared to speak with your teen about what they saw and enjoy the experience you had together.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Art imitates life. That couldn’t be more on display than with Inside Out 2, where Riley struggles with her mature feelings. We all do, but is it because we lack emotional intelligence, or simply a purpose as God wants us to know. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5303,"featured_media":1875,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[408,411,303,236,101,414],"class_list":["post-1869","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-anxiety","tag-emotions","tag-joy","tag-mental-health","tag-movies","tag-wellness"],"yoast_head":"\nInside Out 2 Strikes an Emotional and Spiritual Balance<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Art imitates life, which is on full display with Inside Out 2. Do we struggle because we lack emotional intelligence or a divine purpose?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/2024\/06\/inside-out-2-strikes-an-emotional-and-spiritual-balance\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Inside Out 2 Strikes an Emotional and Spiritual Balance\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Art imitates life, which is on full display with Inside Out 2. Do we struggle because we lack emotional intelligence or a divine purpose?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/2024\/06\/inside-out-2-strikes-an-emotional-and-spiritual-balance\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Close to Home\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-06-14T20:27:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-06-14T20:56:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/2027\/2024\/06\/Inside-Out-2-1-Header.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1892\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"774\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Shawn Paul Wood\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@shawnpaulwood\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Shawn Paul Wood\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/2024\/06\/inside-out-2-strikes-an-emotional-and-spiritual-balance\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/2024\/06\/inside-out-2-strikes-an-emotional-and-spiritual-balance\/\",\"name\":\"Inside Out 2 Strikes an Emotional and Spiritual Balance\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2024-06-14T20:27:06+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-06-14T20:56:46+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/#\/schema\/person\/0ed10bbbb8643760b6194268c009e3ee\"},\"description\":\"Art imitates life, which is on full display with Inside Out 2. Do we struggle because we lack emotional intelligence or a divine purpose?\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/2024\/06\/inside-out-2-strikes-an-emotional-and-spiritual-balance\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/2024\/06\/inside-out-2-strikes-an-emotional-and-spiritual-balance\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/2024\/06\/inside-out-2-strikes-an-emotional-and-spiritual-balance\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Inside Out 2 Strikes an Emotional and Spiritual Balance\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/\",\"name\":\"Close to Home\",\"description\":\"Today's decisions create tomorrow's directions for God's people. We look in two places for the Hand of God, pointing us to the right way: the Bible and the media. Whatever the Spirit speaks to us in both places, the Word of God always hits close to home--here or in Heaven.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/#\/schema\/person\/0ed10bbbb8643760b6194268c009e3ee\",\"name\":\"Shawn Paul Wood\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ebb8dc5b873bf6cd4bec9b48f250696e?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ebb8dc5b873bf6cd4bec9b48f250696e?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Shawn Paul Wood\"},\"description\":\"Shawn Paul Wood, Th.D., is an award-winning copywriter, contributor, and content strategist, and ghostwriter of several faith-based articles, speeches, columns, and books who has worked for some of the most admirable brands in their respective industries for over 20 years. As Founder of Woodworks Communications, he leads teams of content strategists and marketing professionals to expand the brands of corporate leaders, serial entrepreneurs, and respected ministers of the Gospel. He aims to help others develop self-discovery through stories and the written word to proclaim the Word to the world. For more information about his portfolio or help telling your story, visit WoodworksCommunications.com.\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/www.woodworkscommunications.com\",\"instagram.com\/shawnpaulwood\",\"linkedin.com\/in\/shawnpaulwood\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/shawnpaulwood\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/author\/swood\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Inside Out 2 Strikes an Emotional and Spiritual Balance","description":"Art imitates life, which is on full display with Inside Out 2. Do we struggle because we lack emotional intelligence or a divine purpose?","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/2024\/06\/inside-out-2-strikes-an-emotional-and-spiritual-balance\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Inside Out 2 Strikes an Emotional and Spiritual Balance","og_description":"Art imitates life, which is on full display with Inside Out 2. Do we struggle because we lack emotional intelligence or a divine purpose?","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/2024\/06\/inside-out-2-strikes-an-emotional-and-spiritual-balance\/","og_site_name":"Close to Home","article_published_time":"2024-06-14T20:27:06+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-06-14T20:56:46+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1892,"height":774,"url":"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/2027\/2024\/06\/Inside-Out-2-1-Header.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Shawn Paul Wood","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@shawnpaulwood","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Shawn Paul Wood","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/2024\/06\/inside-out-2-strikes-an-emotional-and-spiritual-balance\/","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/2024\/06\/inside-out-2-strikes-an-emotional-and-spiritual-balance\/","name":"Inside Out 2 Strikes an Emotional and Spiritual Balance","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/#website"},"datePublished":"2024-06-14T20:27:06+00:00","dateModified":"2024-06-14T20:56:46+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/#\/schema\/person\/0ed10bbbb8643760b6194268c009e3ee"},"description":"Art imitates life, which is on full display with Inside Out 2. Do we struggle because we lack emotional intelligence or a divine purpose?","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/2024\/06\/inside-out-2-strikes-an-emotional-and-spiritual-balance\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/2024\/06\/inside-out-2-strikes-an-emotional-and-spiritual-balance\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/2024\/06\/inside-out-2-strikes-an-emotional-and-spiritual-balance\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Inside Out 2 Strikes an Emotional and Spiritual Balance"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/","name":"Close to Home","description":"Today's decisions create tomorrow's directions for God's people. We look in two places for the Hand of God, pointing us to the right way: the Bible and the media. Whatever the Spirit speaks to us in both places, the Word of God always hits close to home--here or in Heaven.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/#\/schema\/person\/0ed10bbbb8643760b6194268c009e3ee","name":"Shawn Paul Wood","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ebb8dc5b873bf6cd4bec9b48f250696e?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ebb8dc5b873bf6cd4bec9b48f250696e?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","caption":"Shawn Paul Wood"},"description":"Shawn Paul Wood, Th.D., is an award-winning copywriter, contributor, and content strategist, and ghostwriter of several faith-based articles, speeches, columns, and books who has worked for some of the most admirable brands in their respective industries for over 20 years. As Founder of Woodworks Communications, he leads teams of content strategists and marketing professionals to expand the brands of corporate leaders, serial entrepreneurs, and respected ministers of the Gospel. He aims to help others develop self-discovery through stories and the written word to proclaim the Word to the world. For more information about his portfolio or help telling your story, visit WoodworksCommunications.com.","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.woodworkscommunications.com","instagram.com\/shawnpaulwood","linkedin.com\/in\/shawnpaulwood","https:\/\/twitter.com\/shawnpaulwood"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/author\/swood\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1869","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5303"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1869"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1869\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1869"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1869"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1869"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} " " " "