Last week, I saw Christopher Robin and as I expected, it was a movie that I left with a happy heart. Greater than that, I left the movie feeling that I had just gained insight into what it means to live a fulfilling life. Here are just a few lessons that Pooh, through his thoughts, words, and actions, teaches us.
1. We should always live in the present
When Pooh wakes up in the morning, he has no preconceived notions about what the day will bring. No to-do lists in his mind, meetings, appointments to run to, every hour scheduled. His way of life is one that is focused entirely on how he is feeling in that moment. If he is hungry, he eats. If he is tired, he sleeps. This way of life may not be entirely realistic for the world we live in, but Pooh truly appreciates each moment for what it is and I think we all ought to learn to do that, too.
2. You are never too old to play
Something that the movie Christopher Robin focuses on is getting Christopher Robin out of that constant cycle of to-do lists and meetings mentioned earlier, and getting him to be adventurous again, to take risks. As someone who goes between extremes of wanting to be serious and wanting to bring out my inner child but then not wanting to seem foolish, I appreciated how Christopher Robin's transformation to play again was something that was embraced and encouraged. You are never too old to let loose, to use your imagination, to go on adventures and dream.
3. Love yourself just as you are
This may not be a lesson that is emphasized in the movie, but for anyone who knows Pooh, you know he loves himself just as he is. He doesn't care if he eats too much sometimes (or all the time), he is just happy to be living life in his skin, and there is something so beautiful about this mentality. We all ought to show that same sense of self compassion to ourselves.
4. Your loved ones are so important
The basis of the Christopher Robin movie's plot is finding Pooh or finding Pooh's friends (I promise that is not a major spoiler), which just goes to remind us the great lengths we can go to to keep the people who love us most in our lives. Whoever you love, whoever you cherish, keep them close to you. They matter (and you do, too).
5. Never doubt who you are
Pooh, like we spoke about earlier, loves himself exactly as he is. Besides that, he also has such a strong sense of confidence of his worth and he wants us to share in this confidence too. The quote above has always been one I have leaned on in times of uncertainty and doubt. It is reassuring to know that we all have our own unique talents and abilities, and we ought to own our power.
Winnie the Pooh, through his simple words, shows us that wisdom can shine through in everyday moments. Here's to living as Pooh does as best we can. As he says in the movie, "I used to think about tomorrow yesterday and realized it was keeping me from today". Let's live for today.
Talk soon,
Sam
