Hello Darlings, It is not every day that a late movie night turn out to provide significant life advice. As I watched Ben Stiller’s The Secret Life of Walter Mitty it made me consider what it takes to change one’s life. The movie is all about how taking risks can change everything for the better. As Walter eventually gets the woman of his dreams, what lessons can we learn to help us in our love lives?
Here are a few points that got me thinking!
Lead a fulfilling life
At the start of the film, Walter is discouraged by his lack of online dating success. Because he hasn’t filled out enough of his eHarmony profile, he’s unable to let Cheryl know that he’s interested in her. This part of the film sums up the essentials of dating: if you don’t lead a fulfilling life, it’s very difficult to find the right person. So don’t play hard to get but actually be hard to get, by focusing on living your life the way you want.
Don’t live in your head
Ultimately Walter is a dreamer and spends much of his time inside his head creating elaborate fantasies. It can be fun to imagine a dream life from time to time, however if you live too much inside your head, you run the risk of missing out on what’s going on around you. Walter’s daydreams cause the people around him to misunderstand his actions. At one point in the film, Cheryl feels that Walter is bored with her story when actually he’s daydreaming about her. Because of Walter’s active imagination, he often misinterprets real-life scenarios. When he visits Cheryl’s house and finds her ex-husband, he immediately assumes the worst and feels too disheartened to even speak to the woman of his dreams. It’s easy to jump to conclusions, so don’t fall into the trap of imagining you know the full story when you may not. Live your life and enjoy it for what it is rather than what you hope it’d be.
Be more adventurous
Before Walter takes the plunge to find photographer Sean O’Connell, he doesn’t feel he’s been anywhere noteworthy or mentionable. By travelling all over the world and facing some dangerous situations, he’s able to create an amazing online dating profile which receives plenty of attention. However, being more adventurous doesn’t have to mean jumping out of helicopters and battling sharks. It could be something as simple as pursuing a new hobby or visiting a place you’ve never been to before. It only takes a few new decisions to lead a more interesting life.
Don’t spend too much time online
A pivotal moment in the film is where Walter realizes that he can’t check his online dating progress because he’s too busy on his adventure. While it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your love life, it’s not a good idea to sit there day after day obsessively checking your messages. If you spend too much time online, you won’t have enough time to live your life.
Unlike Walter Mitty, the majority of us won’t get a free pass to live a totally new life in a matter of days. However, if you don’t mind taking a risk then go for it. It will stand you in good stead to meet the right person for a lasting relationship.
With Love…
Marta
Images via Pinterest
*in collaboration with eHarmony Canada. The views and opinions expressed are my own.
Very thoughtful post. It’s nice to be reminded of these things sometimes, especially since so much of life is taken up on-line now. xx