Hey everyone, welcome back! I’m Jenna, and today we are diving into a really fun topic. I’m actually going to talk to you about the new character in Inside Out 2. I went yesterday to see it with my six-year-old Eli, and it was so fricking good. As an OCD and anxiety therapist who has been treating these conditions and has personal experience with OCD and anxiety from the past, I was blown away at how accurate and spot-on the depiction of anxiety was. Even as a 34-year-old adult, I could relate to it. So, I want to talk to you about three key takeaways that are super relevant to our journey when it comes to OCD and anxiety.

Here’s a little preview of what we’ll cover:

• How the movie depicted anxiety
• What the movie showed us we need to do to help us manage anxiety
• How anxiety serves a PURPOSE, and can actually benefit us (in moderate doses)

Before we get started, if you are looking for more in-depth strategies to manage your anxiety and OCD, keep your eyes and ears peeled. In a couple of weeks, I will be talking more about my Seven Day Breakthrough Challenge. It’s packed with actionable steps to help you take control of your life and start to learn new ways of dealing with your anxiety. So, keep an eye out for that.

Now, let’s talk about this new character, Anxiety, in Inside Out 2.

For those of you who haven’t seen it yet, Inside Out is a movie that personifies emotions as characters inside a young girl’s mind. The sequel, released in June 2024, introduces a couple of new characters: Embarrassment, Envy, Ennui (a cool, chill, can’t-be-bothered-by-anything character), and of course, Anxiety. It’s fascinating to see how they depict this complex emotion. 

Key Takeaway 1: Normalizing the Experience of Anxiety

The first takeaway was how they normalized the experience of anxiety. It’s interesting that until Riley, the main character, turns 13, she had fear but not anxiety. Fear is about immediate, actionable threats happening right now, while anxiety is about anticipating and preparing for future events. They depicted this perfectly.

Even my son Eli, who is six, has some anxiety about things, but it’s different from what a 13-year-old or an adult experiences. The movie showed anxiety as a necessary and even helpful emotion, which aligns perfectly with what I talk about in my podcast and digital courses. Anxiety, in and of itself, is not the enemy. It’s a natural response meant to protect us and help us prepare for the future.

However, the problem arises when anxiety becomes excessive and interferes with daily life. In my work, I use Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) to help manage anxiety. We’re not trying to eliminate anxiety but change our relationship with it. By facing our fears and reducing safety behaviors and avoidance, we learn that anxiety is manageable and not as threatening as it seems.

THE OCD AND ANXIETY BLUEPRINT

And while we are on this subject of managing anxiety, I want to take a second to dive deeper into what my digital course, the OCD and Anxiety Recovery Blueprint is all about. It’s more than a course, it truly is a ticket to freedom on the other side of that awful, awful ocean that you feel like you’ve just been treading on forever. No more endless cycles of anxiety and scary thoughts holding you back. No more feeling like you’re tiptoeing around a real life haunted house.

With the OCD and Anxiety Recovery Blueprint, you are finally going to break free from the chains of your mind and be able to step into a life of clarity, freedom and confidence. This course isn’t just about managing your symptoms. I believe that we are not here to just get by. It’s about reclaiming your power, your joy, and your sense of self, and saying saying goodbye to the pain and frustration of living with OCD and anxiety. You’re going to learn how to prevent rituals, prevent mental compulsions, and prevent physical compulsions that are holding you back.

You’re going to learn how to do the hard things, how to expose yourself to what used to be absolutely terrifying, and you’re going to emerge stronger, braver, and more resilient than you could have ever freaking imagined. Join me inside now!

Key Takeaway 2: The Role of Self-Compassion

Watching how the main character Riley and the other emotions interact with the Anxiety emotion reminded me of how critical it is to treat ourselves with kindness and self-compassion. The characters learn to understand and accept Anxiety rather than fight it, which is a crucial lesson for all of us.

This ties into Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), another strategy I use. ACT teaches us to accept our emotions and commit to actions that align with our values. Instead of battling anxiety, we can acknowledge it and move forward with compassion. We can see its usefulness in some situations without letting it run the show. The movie beautifully illustrated that by being kind to ourselves and allowing the emotion rather than fighting it, we can make a big difference in handling anxiety.

Key Takeaway 3: The Beneficial Role of Moderate Anxiety

The third takeaway was the beneficial role of moderate anxiety. The movie demonstrates that a certain level of anxiety can be helpful and motivating. It can serve as a motivator, help us prepare for challenges, and keep us alert to potential dangers. This is often overlooked in discussions about anxiety.

Inference-Based CBT (ICBT) is another approach I use to help manage moderate levels of anxiety. By changing our thought patterns and recognizing the positive aspects of anxiety, we can harness it as a tool for growth rather than something to be avoided.

For example, if you have an upcoming presentation, a moderate level of anxiety can push you to prepare, think of new ideas, and stay focused, helping you perform your best. It’s about finding the balance where anxiety motivates you without overwhelming you.

My Takeaways from Anxiety

To recap, here are the three takeaways from the new character Anxiety in Inside Out 2:

1. Normalize Anxiety: Understand that anxiety is a natural part of your human and emotional experience. It’s there, and that’s okay.
2. Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with kindness and understanding, transforming your relationship with anxiety.
3. Beneficial Role of Moderate Anxiety: Recognize that moderate anxiety can be a positive force that motivates and prepares you for challenges.

These takeaways align perfectly with what I discuss with my clients and students. If you’re ready to dive deeper and get hands-on support, keep an eye out for my Seven Day Breakthrough Challenge.

Thank you so much for joining me today! Until next time, stay bold, stay empowered, and keep pushing through. You’ve got this.

Keep doing all the hard things. Bye for now.

👏 Unlock your free 40-minute video on “5 Must-Know Strategies for Handling Anxiety and Intrusive Thoughts”: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jennaoverbaughlpc.com/strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🧠 Start your transformation today with the Mental Compulsion Mini Course referenced in this episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jennaoverbaughlpc.com/mental-compulsions⁠

💪 Ready to conquer OCD/anxiety? Explore The OCD and Anxiety Recovery Blueprint – with or without a therapist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jennaoverbaughlpc.com/blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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