10 Magical ‘Unicorn Store’ Lessons That Will Completely Change Your Adult Life
Brie Larson has made her directorial debut on top of starring in Unicorn Store now streaming on Netflix. Like any young girl growing up in the ’90s, her character Kit Larson falls in love with rainbows, unicorns, and glitter leading her to find a passion for creating art. She brings this child-like mindset with her into adulthood and as a result, isolates herself from people, befriending imaginary unicorn-friends and stuffed animals. She eventually fails out of art school and ends up back at home with her parents feeling the weight of perceived failure and the pressure to conform to what she believes someone at her age should be doing. Her parents judge her, and she responds by getting an office job she thinks will meet their standards. In doing so, she steps away from her own passions and desires to fulfill the expectation of someone other than herself.
Her first day on the job and she begins to receive colorful letters from an actual salesman, played by Samuel L. Jackson, who runs a Unicorn store with actual unicorns. Kit is now faced with the opportunity to fulfill a dream born in childhood and still alive as a 29-year-old. For Kit to prove herself, she must provide shelter, a record of finances, and show that she can love unconditionally, deeming her worthy of receiving a unicorn. Throughout the movie, Kit embarks on a path of discovery leading her to the realization that she no longer needs a unicorn. She no longer requires a security blanket or someone to pretend with finding that she is capable of stepping outside her comfort zone and into reality, providing viewers with several takeaways that all of us can carry into adulthood:
1. Don’t lose the magic you were born with.
We tend to drop the elaborate imagination we’re born with as we’re pushed into age brackets that limit expression. Don’t hide your true self from the world, especially if you feel like an outsider. There’s more of you than you think, it’s just that the insiders want so badly to be surrounded that they adapt and conform making it feel like you fall outside of the majority. Don’t forget your sparkle in a world that tells you to tone it down. Shine what you find dull and make it bright. Bring your magic wherever you go.
2. Believe what you believe.
Believe in whatever you believe in because you, and only you, feel that it is right. Believe what you want to trust instead of what you think you’re supposed to accept as true. Believe in what isn’t popular and stay loyal to your passions because they will lead you to a nourishing environment.
3. Stop caring about what everyone else is doing.
Imitation is a disgrace to your uniqueness. Don’t let failure or impatience push you to conform to what you think you’re supposed to do. Stop worrying about disappointing people because the only person you should be trying to please is yourself. Bring yourself with you everywhere. Make art when sparked. Sing when you have something to say. Dance if you hear music. Focusing on others takes away focus on yourself.
4. Lead with love.
Hatred and negativity hold you back and push you down. Love just who you are and love those around you. When you let go of negativity, you start to see things you weren’t able to see before that were there the entire time.
5. Every person alive has a dream.
We all have creativity, it’s just that not everyone uses it. Dream the ideas that seem impossible. At the very least, allow your mind to travel to the places unimaginable or unattainable. Let yourself play out the best case scenario you come up with.
6. The most grownup thing you can do is fail at things you care about.
After Kit is asked to give a presentation at work, she presents a colorful and sparkly masterpiece that ultimately gets turned down, and she loses her job. But that job wasn’t for her, and there is a place where her pizzazz is the perfect amount needed. We all fail, and it’s a hard lesson to learn, but failure is a gift. Accept failure as a reward and bring it with you into what comes next. Failure provides knowledge that’ll drive you to success. Keep trying, keep failing, and success will follow.
7. Grown-ups aren’t always grown up.
Age is but a number that makes it easier for us to group individuals rather than actual behavior. Adults don’t necessarily make decisions to match the assumption attached to their age because they’re human. We’re all human and acting our age can sometimes be just that, an act. Stay at your own pace, and your timeline will be unique to you.
8. Don’t focus on what you can or can’t do, focus on what you want to do.
Breathe life into your dreams and make every effort to keep them alive. Focus on your talents that’ll reveal additional pathways and open doors waiting for you to walk through. Focus on the positive and positivity will multiply. Explore things you love until you are doing things you love.
9. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Everyone needs help, but not everyone can ask for it. Knowing when to ask for help from others is a strength which allows you to pay that support forward.
10. Accept yourself first and others will follow.
When you accept yourself, your actions come natural, and a bright energy will become clearly presented. This energy invites the kind of people that will not only accept you but will understand you.
Watch for yourself. Unicorn Store is streaming now on Netflix. 