The Shift: A Movie That Invites Self-Reflection
The Shift is a movie by the director, Michael A. Goorjian. The main character is Wayne Dyer, author of the famous self-help book, Your Erroneous Zones.
During the film, Dr. Wayne Dyer acts as a guide and spiritual teacher for certain people he meets in his work. Through his talks and experiences, he makes them realize that life isn’t a river that follows the current. In fact, his goal is for everyone to find their own path and discover their ‘true self ‘.
He makes them see that everything in their life can regain meaning if they know how to listen to themselves and they dare to take the course that their hearts have marked out for them. The fact that they’re all able to make the change if they really feel like they’re not where they want to be.
The three stories of The Shift
The movie portrays three different stories. They all involve protagonists who’ve lost the direction of their dreams and their lives feel empty.
A devoted mother
The first case is that of a mother who was so dedicated to her family that she forgot to live her own life. For years, she gave everything for the well-being of her family but left her own dreams, hobbies, desires, and interests on the sidelines. She becomes aware of this throughout the movie and learns how to recover her life.
As human beings, we all deserve our individual space. It’s where you realize yourself. In fact, you self realize. Taking time for yourself is essential. If you don’t make time for yourself due to overwork or having to care for others, over time, you’ll end up feeling empty.
An unhappy marriage
The second story concerns a comfortable marriage. The couple is accustomed to a high standard of living. In fact, they seem to have it all, but they eventually come to realize that wealth doesn’t bring happiness. That’s because we’re not what we have. Otherwise, if one day you lost your belongings, you’d be left with nothing. In this story, the couple learns to value the little things. They discover that their greatest wealth is hidden in the simplicity and small details of life.
A dedicated professional
The third story is about an ambitious film director who’s forgotten to live in the present and simply focuses exclusively on his work. His future and his successes yet to come are the only things that occupy his life. That desire to live exclusively for his work has meant he’s let the present moment, ‘the now’, slip away.
Guidelines to reach fulfillment
The Shift reminds us that we can all enjoy a full life. However, how do you do it?
- Live consciously, savor the present moment in its entirety. To do this, you have to be present in the moment and not let your mind wander.
- Put aside your ego. Remember that you’re neither your work nor your riches. When you live from the inside, from your spiritual being that focuses on how you are, without labels or belongings, that’s when your well-being begins to flow within you.
- Give up perfection. You don’t have to be perfect. Indeed, humans are never perfect. Therefore, it’s not necessary to be perfect to be happy.
- You’re not your reputation. If you live according to what others think of you, you’ll lose your freedom. After all, everyone is free to think what they want and it shouldn’t affect your way of life. Reputation is something intangible, created by others, and to which you shouldn’t give too much importance. What’s essential isn’t what happens on the outside, it’s what happens inside you.
- Listen to yourself without judging yourself. When making decisions, your ego usually interferes. In other words, the perfectionist part of you comes to light that reminds you that being ‘normal’ means doing certain things. However, when you stop your ego from interfering in this way, everything starts to flow naturally and you feel good. This is where your true dreams lie.
The Shift is certainly a movie that’ll cause you to reflect. It’ll make you ask yourself if you’re where you want to be, if you’re really living or if you’re letting your dreams and happiness escape. It’ll also remind you that you’re the creator of your own life and everything can regain meaning if you do something to guide it in your own particular and personal way.
