Tip#1131: Resilience Resources, Part 25 – Mortal Engines

Recently, when I was feeling well with no symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), I went to Toronto’s biggest Value Village Thrift Store and found some awesome treasures! I got these specific bowls and mugs because I loved the bright colours and design. The smaller bowl also had uplifting statements all around and inside as well.

Two days later I relapsed with severe SAD symptoms. But the bright orange of the coffee mugs, the beautiful ornate design of the soup bowls and the positive statements of the small white bowel brought my brain some precious joy in my darkness. Just looking at them fed my mind with positive thoughts and boosted positive feelings.

My brain and mood also gets stimulated when I see exciting and visually rich scenery and costumes in movies. In my research on possible triggers of SAD found that our eyes need to feel and take in the rays of sunshine or the 10,000 lux light of light therapy. The reason is explored in this article excerpt…

Normally, light penetrates the eye and is captured by the retina, which then transforms light energy into electric energy. The optic nerve transmits this energy to the brain where it is interpreted as images. Electrical signals produced by the retina also influence the chemical messengers in the brain called neurotransmitters, such as the mood regulating serotonin, and melatonin, which regulates daily cycles of wakening and sleep. It is at this level that light therapy proves beneficial. 

Read more: “Retina may be the culprit in seasonal depression”

In my case I just know my positivity, moods and resilience are greatly improved through cinema therapy along with sunshine light therapy. Through my eyes I can feed my brain with stimulating and colourful scenes of a film. Here is a recent example.

Mortal Engines (2018)

The action adventure fantasy film, Mortal Engines, is set in a post-apocalyptic world where entire cities, like London, have been mounted on massive wheels and prey on one another. A mysterious young woman, Hester Shaw (Hera Hilmar), has the key to stop the evil Thaddeus Valentine (Hugo Weaving) from destroying other cities. She is helped by Tom Natsworthy (Robert Sheehan), an outcast from London, along with outlaw Anna Fang (Jihae). This visually stunning movie also stars Leila George and Stephen Lang.
See: movie teaser
Watch now: Amazon Prime

This film has been described as a steampunk Star Wars or what happens when Star Wars and Mad Max had a child! It’s also considered a box office bomb. And yet I found it to be a fantastic resource for stimulating my ocular joy! My eyes just ate up all the glorious scenery in this finely detailed fantasy world.

I was also inspired by seeing many visible minorities in the cast in the second half of the film. The character of Anna Fang immediately establishes herself as an exciting kick-ass Asian hero! There is also an unexpected story I loved about Shrike (Stephen Lang) a robotic soldier. So despite what critics wrote about this movie I found it of great value and it kept me energized through a health challenge.

The right movie can be a valuable resource for resilience in difficult, dark times of your life. They can feature visuals that can feed your positive thoughts and feelings when you need it most. Find a film today that your eyes can soak up and help you feel empowered and re-energized to persevere!

Related Tips:
Tip#1105: Resilience Resources, Part 24 – Mission: Impossible - Fallout

SEE:

• Top Movie Picks for Inspirational Learning Tools: www.Movies for Motivation.com

• Emmanuel's Award-winning Illustrations: www.EmmanuelLopez.com

• Emmanuel's Social Media Consulting Services: www.SocialMediaWingman.com

Remember How Movies Can Help You:
A) Entertain & Escape
B) Re-energize & Release
C) Inspiration & Motivation

 

Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Award-winning Illustrator | Movie Blogger | Speaker | Foodie
Discover Movies As Inspirational Learning Tools!
See website: www.MoviesForMotivation.com
 
© Emmanuel Lopez 2019