Using Movies and Books for Self Awareness

Hi everyone; today I wanted to share an activity I like to do to enhance introspection and self awareness. This activity may be helpful for those of you who may struggle to identify your emotions, aspects within yourself, or patterns present in your life. If you are well aware of what you're feeling or dealing with, doing this can also be a good way to potentially find some guidance and an answer to the problem you're experiencing. At the very least, you'll feel less alone in your struggles.

If you're someone that loves to read, then your task is to go to the library or bookstore. Walk through the aisles and allow yourself to be drawn to whatever book catches your eye. This is something that needs to be done from a very visceral, feeling based, and intuitive space. You may even want to send out an intention of finding some insight into a specific situation in your life. Allow yourself to let go of preconceived notions of what books and genres are good to read, or what authors are good writers. You may find that your eyes automatically light up when you come across a book, even if it's because of a nice cover design or some words in the title. This approach works too.
Even if you come across a book that may be out of your comfort zone, don't be afraid to give it a try. There might be something important in there for you to discover.

If you aren't a book reader, then this process can also be done when browsing movies or television shows to watch. Allow yourself to be drawn to whatever is calling you.

After choosing your book or movie, watch/read it all the way through (if you can), and really pay attention to the themes, plot lines, and characters in there. You may be shocked to find that the emotional undercurrents, relationship dynamics, or personality traits of some of the characters closely reflects your own.

Sometimes it may be hard to figure out how a movie or book relates to you. In these situations, it's important to keep in mind that sometimes we tend to identify with emotions, qualities, and experiences that are self serving, or that only reflect the image and life we wish to portray to the world. There's a lot within us that we may have shoved down or denied. Sometimes this denial may be manifested as resistance, avoidance, or rejection of what we currently see in our environment.

A lot of times, it may be obvious as to what personal feelings, emotions, and experiences are being projected onto the story line or what the underlying message is that you need to know. But for those of you who may need some prompts for exploration, here are some things you can ask yourself:

• (If watching a movie): What is the color scheme present? (Usually movies that include many tragedies have a dark or blueish hue throughout the scenery). How do the colors add to the overall mood and themes in the film? How does this add to my personal interpretation about what the characters are experiencing? 

• Do I identify with any of the characters present? Which ones stood out to me? Do any of them remind me of myself or of anyone in my life? If not, what traits do I admire most about any of the characters? What traits do I dislike about any of the characters? Were there any characters that I absolutely could not stand? Do these observations say anything about myself? 

• What are the themes/plot lines present within this movie or book? (Common themes include: the underdog story, good vs. evil, love, facing adversity, family dramas, sacrifice, justice, coming of age, etc.)1 Do any of these themes relate to something I am currently going through or have gone through in the past? 

• What is the main conflict or struggle presented in the plot line? Which character(s) does this conflict affect the most? How does the character deal with this conflict? Have I dealt with a conflict in a similar way? Is there something I need to learn from the way this character deals with this conflict? 

• How are the relationship dynamics in the movie or book? Are there strong connections or is there a pervasive sense of isolation and separation? Are there any conflicts between the characters? What are these conflicts about? Do these relationship dynamics exist within my own life?

• What do I  think each character values in life? What are they motivated by? 

• Are there any lines spoken by anyone that stand out to me the most? Why is this? 

• How does the story end? What message does this ending give to me about my own life? 

Books and movies can bring comfort, healing, pleasure, and enjoyment. The themes, archetypes, and character growth present within these plot lines can also be a catalyst for major growth within ourselves. Sometimes it's easier to figure out what's going on in our inner world when we see it projected externally within a story. But it can also be a tough pill to swallow or be something we don't want to face (there's been many times where I've wanted to distract myself from unpleasant emotions by watching a movie, only to find out that the movie I picked reflected exactly what I'm running away from). As we outgrow old patterns, behaviors, and ways of existing, we may find that the things we are drawn to change completely (including the books, movies, and media that we consume). It's interesting to see where we are at in life based on what we consciously or unconsciously choose to surround ourselves with. Next time you pick up a book or movie to pass the time, I encourage you to give this process a try and see where it takes you.

Sources for Themes in Plotlines:

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/the-complete-guide-to-narrative-theme-in-literature-definition-examples-and-writing-how-to#6-common-themes-in-literature

https://scriptmag.com/screenplays/what-is-story-story-types-plot-types-themes-genres