(No spoilers, if you haven't seen the movie.)

My family and I saw Inside Out 2 last month. My son Aiden has a particular love for the first movie, so making time to see the second was a must.
In my opinion, Disney/Pixar has been hit or miss lately, but when they hit, they knock it out of the park. And this was a homerun.
The scene I loved the most was near the end when the main character (Riley) had already been through some big emotional peaks and valleys. Anxiety shows up in a big way in Riley's brain and, like most of us, managing the depth and breadth of this new emotion became extremely challenging.
But then, when all the emotions were heightened, when everyone was on the edge of their seats, when it seemed like all may be lost .... Riley reached for Joy.
Reached for Joy. Not hoped for Joy. Not wished for Joy. Reached. An active verb that requires effort and intent.
I forget this lesson all too often and I think it's easy to forget. We want to be happy, but so often, we leave out the active part of that, the part where we have to do the work. And I'm not talking about getting good grades or listening to uplifting music or eating healthy. Those things absolutely matter, but for me, this scene coalesced into something much smaller and organic. Riley made a deliberate choice in the moment that yeah, things were scary and uncertain and difficult, but she would try to find Joy. And it worked.
It was such a powerful concept and a good reminder to me. All too often I let my brain churn with anxiety and forget that I do have some control.
These last 12 months have comprised the hardest year of my life so far. I have lost loved ones, suddenly and tragically. I have been challenged in ways I never expected. I have been on the highest of highs, only to have everything yanked out from underneath me and for it to all come crashing down in a matter of moments. And I know there is more heartache to come.

But there can also be Joy.
We hear "control your thoughts" or "be in charge of your emotions" so often that they're almost buzzwords at this point, easily disregarded.
But Inside Out 2 showed the process, the deliberateness, so clearly, that it reframed the whole concept for me. It reminded me that I do have a choice, and showed me that it's possible with tiny little steps, moment by moment, one at a time.
Reach for Joy, my friends.
I love this so much. The"reaching" is so visual and intentional. Thank you for this inspiring perspective.