6 life lessons I learnt in 2021 from watching the movie soul.

Soul is more than just an animation.

Soul is more than just an animation. It’s a movie produced by Pixar studios and Disney pictures. Apart from the fact that I like the all-black animation characters used, there were deep things I learnt from watching this movie .

It made me question a lot of norms in our society, it did not just inspire me, it made me think about what the world teaches or perceives as purpose, discovering talent and finding oneself in this world we find ourselves. 

it left me juxtaposing between what we think should be and what we have never quite understood. Truly it was more than just a movie, it had embedded in it life lessons that we should always take note of as we carry on with our daily lives, and critically looking at all we’ve known from a different angle and perspective.

It left me in an enigma.

These are a few lessons and phrases that hit real heard as I watched this movie. 

6 Life Lessons i learnt from watching Pixar and Disney’s Soul.

1.) Don’t loose yourself in the process of finding your purpose.

In the process of Joe Gardner trying to get back to his music gig and 22 finding herself a lot transpired which brought to light some things that we often do.

Sometimes we indeed loose ourselves in the process of finding purpose, comfort, talents, passion etc. Often we become obsessed with it that it disconnects us from life, a grave lesson to learn. Most times we are caught in between discovering our passion and discerning our purpose and it can be frustrating and confusing. 

other times we can’t lay hold on anything. This movie teaches that if we focus on what we love doing, what we enjoy doing whether we are paid to do it or not it will surely lead us to our passion there’s no need to question anything, it’s just to keep doing that thing you derive joy from doing as long as you are happy doing it whatever it is that doesn’t take anything from you to do like for 22 it was “jazzing”  funny enough it is usually the simplest of things that we never almost notice. What you are good at will always bring you out, it will always pave a way for you. Focus on what  you love and are  passionate about it will lead you to your purpose

2.) There’s more to life than discovering your talent or purpose.

Your Spark isn’t your purpose the box fills when you are ready to come live (said, Joe Gardner), 

22 was worried about finding her purpose she never believed that earth had anything to offer her until she came down in Joe’s body she kept asking and wondering because she felt that she could never find her purpose which she thought was the spark needed to fill the box.

In reality, this character represents us in many ways some of us are searching for other things, jobs, wealth, comfort, our destiny, talents or purpose,  it taught me that it isn’t all about finding your passion or talent, or what you are searching for, life is not about finding your purpose it’s about living! your spark (which could mean several things you interpret it to be) is about finding that reason to live on, is about why you want to live, how you want to live your life, not purpose, not what you love doing but living. the other lesson that is similar to this was…

“Your spark isn’t a soul’s Purpose” this says out loud to me stop searching for purpose or talent or passion just live and do the things you love to do and wish to do, sounds weird right! I am sure it’s the opposite of what we’ve always known but just purse for a moment and think it through. We often put limitations on what we can do or how far we can go. You find a person who is talented in writing, sports, drawing, singing, fiddling with electronics, and people would think oh he should be an electrical engineer but if he should just do them all more and passionately it could be sports and drawing or any one of them the aim of life is just to explore life and live it while you can. Purpose isn’t your career is your reason for living.

Whatever it is that captivates your soul is worth the try.

3)Stand up and Fight for what you want, don’t sit and complain.

Another lesson learnt is that you should stand up and fight for what you want, demand for it. Don’t settle for less take the risk and go all in and you will find peace. The life of joe Gardner was a struggle between chasing his dreams and living them out, but the interesting thing about the character is that he kept trying and believing in his dream. There’s no need to complain about what you don’t’ have and how you haven’t gotten what you want. Dex the barber who didn’t pursue his dream to be a veterinarian. 

But truly life throws stones at us. As you grow into adulthood you find out that you have to fight for what you want if not you won’t get it, don’t wait for when it will turn better, keep pushing and in time you’ll win the fight. if you keep complaining you’ll remain at the same spot instead decide to always fight to attain that which you want Don’t be complaisant because you haven’t gotten to where you want to be, don’t remain in the path that you are meant to cross, and even when things don’t turn out as planned learn to accept change.

4) You know peace when you help others.

The period of Joe Gardner’s tutoring to 22 made me realize that it’s not all about you, sometimes help others reach their dreams too, go as far as you can, make the journey easier for them. you truly live when you help others, you know peace when you help others. There is this sense of fulfilment you get when you render help to people that need help, this is the part that teachers benefit a great deal. most of the grooming and remoulding they do in making their students turn out to be great gives peace, happiness and fulfilment. Like in the case of Joe Gardner’s mentoring to Curley or 22.

 I’m talking of a teacher in every aspect of life.

Sometimes you discover yourself in the process of helping others discover who they are.

5) Expectations may not live up to it’s standard but learn be happy with your achievements.

Dorothea Williams told the story of a fish and how it wanted to be in the ocean not realizing he was in the ocean.

This story resonates with how Joe felt after he had achieved his dream of playing in the music gig.

Sometimes we keep looking for what is already there but we are so blinded that we don’t see that what we have is what we’re looking for, maybe because the big expectations don’t equal our dream and vision of how it will be. when joe Gardner finally played with his music Idol on a big stage he realized that what he wanted was more than what he got and he questioned everything. Our expectations may not live up to it’s standard but never forgot to be happy for your achievements. It is something we should all keep to heart.

6) The simplest things of life are what matters, remember to live!

This is a major lesson I think the film writer was trying to portray, we are all consumed with the search for a better future, duties to carry out, pursuing dreams, achieving goals and acquiring them. We become so worked up and carried away that we don’t enjoy the simple things of life, we stop living and begin to exist.

22’s experience on earth tells us to observe the world around you with the eye of an artist, feel your environment, live your life in seconds and minutes.

When we get to the point that we begin to question our existence and the meaning of life, pause for a moment, allow your environment to inspire you, absorb the energy of everything life has given you and make something out of it. Refuse to let the negative energy becloud your soul. 

Take note of your surroundings, connect to it in various ways,  live in the moment enjoying every second of it cos we don’t get to live again, Like it is often said, it is important to stop and smell the roses. take time to become fully aware of your surroundings and let your observation make you live better. pay attention to how you see the world. 

Accept the uncertainty of life and keep living.

Live like you’ve only got one life left to live cos truly you’ve only got one life to live here on earth.

Enjoy watching!