Hows the movie of YOUR life unfolding?

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FAVE movie. FAVE client.

I love movies.

I believe (shout out to you Grand Canyon) all of life’s riddles are answered in the movies.

I bumble though life pondering who’d play me in a biopic of my life (Julia Louis Dreyfus after lots of begging).

I turn to film more often than not to puzzle through problems and watch how different life choices play out.

I spent my 40th birthday at STORY Seminar learning the ins & outs of screenwriting and word-weaving.

I adore artsy films. I love love love the low brow.

I’ve begun pondering “life as movie.”

I’ve written about this while doing morning pages.

I’ve shifted my thoughts during post-Shabbat nighttime writings and challenged myself to examine my week through the lens of film.

Oh and by way of dull disclosure? Lately I’ve felt bored with my story.

I’m working.

I’m parenting (why did no one tell me stuff becomes more of a time suck as they get older?!).

I’m fitting in connection.

I’m striving to be a Shamash.

The problem is at the end of all that instead of thinking Go Carla! You’re rocking it! I’ve discovered even I find my plot a tad dull (!)

riddles

In an effort to puzzle through this each Friday night I pose a scenario for myself:

If the past 7 days of my life were made into a movie (everything including moments which would typically occur off-screen.):

  • Am I riveted by the story or do I feel: Meh, I could leave. I can guess the ending. Do I long to shout at the screen STOP! STOP! Don’t do that! or, worst of all, do I think: I’m entirely bored. I wish the character would make different choices.
  • Would I want to see (translation: live) this movie again if I had the choice?

Jiffy Pop popcorn

life as movie? always with snacks.

This approach to considering my life provides a powerful way for me to re-frame and evaluate the preceding 7 days.

It’s a simple way to view choices I’ve made and ask myself if I’m really creating the story I want to live.

Thinking of my life as a movie-in-progress provides a reminder I’m in charge of and charged with directing my story.

Only I can decide to make choices which result in my being proud of and interested in what I “produce” each week.

And you?

  • Have you ever reflected on your life as a movie in progress? Would you be eager for your sequel? Are you creating a compelling story?
  • Have you been so bored you’ve walked out of a movie (I’ve done it once: Airheads.)?

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Comments

  2. This is so interesting to me because I do this all.the.time. Halle Berry would of course play me but she needs to whip herself back into Catwoman shape 🙂 I love reflecting on the prior week! I would definitely not want this boring, snow filled week in April to be my movie! And yes, I have (and I would) walk out of movies but I can’t remember the names…I guess they were THAT bad.

  3. Oh Carla.
    You always seem to capture what I’m feeling but did not realize. I’m excruciatingly bored by the film of my life right now. Most of it feels like not a choice, but there have to be different choices I can make.

  4. I definitely think of life as a movie from time to time. Sometimes there is comedy, sometimes drama, tragedy, irony, dramedy. But at the end, you have to trust that there will be a resolution, or, at the very least, denoument

  5. Lol, yes, I often think of my life as a movie. I’d hope Sandra Bullock would play me. Mine would be a musical 9to make it more fun).

  6. I love the idea of this as a way to evaluate the past week. Like Angela said, I do feel like my life is like the movie Groundhog’s Day and like you, I’m not sure the plot is all that interesting at the moment. But it’s helpful to think about the choices that have led to that repetition and what different choices I could make

  7. When I first started reading your post I thought I could never be bored with my life because I am always competing racing etc. and yet a sequel?
    I don’t even know what would be in there and I need to plan.

    • YES. I think I didnt even really begin t ponder the sequel idea until I hit 45. I began to realize this *IS* my second act and I need to plan and make it unfold as I want it to.

  8. My movie would star Emily Deschanel, since that’s the only actress I’ve ever been told I look like! I feel like my story is pretty boring these days, too. Drive, work, drive, kids, sleep, repeat. But I still think your reflection questions would be really helpful for me. I still struggle with being patient with my family, staying engaged in difficult situations when I want to run and hide my head in the social-media-sand, etc.
    I’ve really gotten into bullet journaling this year and I’ve been trying to add in some actual journaling along with my to-do lists and random thoughts. I think I’ll try your questions as a weekly review!

  9. Oh my gosh. When I was young I thought of my life as a movie all the time. I would even try to “redo scenes” sometimes. But it’s been years. If I looked over my past week, including a trip I took with my mother in law and disabled brother in law and spouse to go to another relative’s 104th birthday party, I would yell “edit!” I wish I could edit out what time and aging have done to some of the people in my life. And yes, I’d be yelling at some of us “make different choices!” Perhaps I should put my editor’s hat on again.

    • Your remark about the scene re-dos totally make me have the flashback to when I pretended (for far too long than was appropriate and/or funny Im certain) I was Harriet the Spy….
      And the edit? That’s totally why if I had the chance to rewatch Id not change anything but I cannot say Id not cover my eyes (and ears?) sometimes during the screening 🙂

  10. Very interesting Carla. I have never thought about my life in this way, but I very much like the concept. Taking the time to reflect on how important each day is in the larger scheme of your life (movie) seems like a very worthwhile weekly activity. Thanks for the great suggestion.

  12. Pretty sure my life movie would be a yawner. But I like the idea of keeping things interesting. I don’t spend a lot of time looking backwards unless I’m having a day when I look at my boys, wondering where the time went…

    Who would play me? Back in my 30s, I would have said Janeane Garofolo. Now? I don’t know.

    • OH I adore Janeane!!! Now I wanna steal her for mine as well. And you have me wanting to argue with you lovingly about the yawner as through reading YOUR writing I think YOU DONT FIND YOUR LIFE A YAWN (and I most certainly do not). You are always trying new things and stretching yourself.

  13. No…to both questions. Because no one ,really ,is watching. Just doing what I need to do to move ahead on what I want to do and loving and grateful for the moments I have left in this life.

  14. This just makes me think of Neil Postman!

    I am TOTALLY riveted by my life as movie 😉 (but seriously. I love how much opportunity there is in life. Gotta follow our hearts and take leaps!)

  15. This is a regular activity in my mind, pondering my life in film. Usually pretty boring. When I saw “August, Osage County,” though I had an epiphany. The dysfunctional family I wrote a memoir about is actually pretty nuts after all. If they could make that movie, they could certainly make my story into a movie. I think Susan Sarandon would play me. I’d like to say Jennifer Lawrence but I’m not that delusional. Then again, I could direct and do anything I damn well please, right?

    • I need to watching that movie. Still. It’s on my list. AND HECK YES. You can pick J.Law if that’s who you want. In my lofty Id pick Mindy Kaling….and then she’d wanna be my BFF post-filming.

    • I love her. And always quote the YOU LIKE ME. YOU REALLY LIKE ME!!! much to the confusion of my younger friends 🙂

  18. Reflection is so important! Where you’re mind goes, your energy follows – I love your perspective on how to stay aware of how your story is unfolding.

  19. See, I wasn’t going to comment today, but SERIOUSLY???? How can you not love AIRHEADS!! Best movie quote EVER:

    Musician: Who would win in a fair fight – Lemmy or God?
    Cop pretending to be musician – uh, Lemmy??
    Musician: TRICK QUESTION A-HOLE! Lemmy IS god!!!

    This movie is SO UTTERLY QUOTABLE, I cannot imagine life without it.

    • hmmm now Im wondering if I even made it to those lines? am I changing? caving? will I watching this one the whole way through now???

  20. Interesting! I’ve never thought of my life like this. I’d so look forward to a sequel (hell, yes!) but would probably not watch any re-runs. Once lived, I savor the moment, learn the lesson and move on, baby! Who would play me? No doubt about it … Sally Field! By the way, the ratings would change constantly, from PG to X (most likely for bad language). I’m working on it.

    • OH I LOVE WHAT YOU SAY (she shouts) ABOUT THE RERUN. Id watching mine again but I confess to probably covering my damn eyes (oops theres that PG 13 rating :)) through many many scenes.

  21. I love this, because as a memoirist we are only as good as the memories we create. And if we want an interesting life story, we have to go for it!

    P.S. I would want Sandra Bullock to play me!

  22. Love this post! Some days, I feel like my life is one of those REALLY long movies where the plot barely moves forward. But I’ve taken over my own Director’s Chair, and am trying to liven up the movie a little!!!!

  23. Creative piece you wrote and food for thought. When I was teaching Public Speaking college classes I would often ask my students this question: “If a movie was being made of your life, who would play you?” We always had good, fun discussions from that question.

  24. Your post is – as they usually are – very thought-provoking.

    I don’t think of my life in movie format, because it never seems like it’s moving that quickly. I do, however, consider it in a book. And when I think that sometimes, yes, I see it working, and sometimes less so. Maybe one day I’ll say for certain.

  25. I don’t know about a movie, but maybe my life as a series. You know how some years a show is on and others it is off? My life is like that.

    I have walked out of a movie before. Against All Odds. Way back when. So bad.

  27. wow, what a great question to ask yourself! I love the questions you posed too. Now, you’ve really given me something to think about!

  28. First – JIFFY POP!!!!

    Yes, I have walked out of 1 movie! 🙂

    Me – I don’t like my own movie – it would frustrate me! I might even find it sad.. with a few inspiring moments. 🙂 Meaning right now at this point in time. I might walk out! 🙂

  30. I’ve thought about my life as a movie but I can’t figure out who should play me!

  31. The only time I’ve imagined my life as a movie has been when I’ve gotten on a plane or some dodgy form of transport (particularly when in developing countries) and I imagine the plane crashing or something terrible happens.

    I look around me – imagining the TV movie of the catastrophe – and wonder which characters’ lives they’d choose to follow in the lead-up!

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