Oh, La La Land. An ode to old Hollywood, a tear-jerking love story, a musical that features an entire motorway number of dancing – what more could anyone want? The 2016 film has instantly become a classic, and it’s so easy to see why – it’s a beautifully made film, yes, but it also has beautiful, real, human characters who have motivations and flaws, and that’s the real kicker. With that being said, here are four lessons I’ve learnt after way too many viewings of La La Land.
1 – Do What You Love
Okay, yes, so maybe a little bit of a Disney-fied point to start off on, but there’s definitely something to it. No matter what it is that you’re interested in pursuing, the world probably needs someone to do it. And why can’t it be you? Of course, it’s important to be realistic and, yes, maybe you’ll need to do some gruelling shifts of something you don’t love to get you on your way, but really – what’s the harm in trying? Have goals and find a way to reach them, or at least feature them in your life.
2 – Give Things a Chance
A little self-explanatory, but it’s so important to put yourself out of your comfort zone every now and again. I think one of my favourite things about La La Land is its’ ability to capture the beauty of being alive – even if it is sometimes tiresome and you’d rather just hide away from it all. The only thing that creates change is change. So do something to find it.
3 – Don’t Change Yourself Solely For Others
Hey, sacrifice and compromise are healthy parts of what makes a relationship, but changing entirely for someone is only going to inevitably lead to destruction. If there’s a fundamental part of you that someone wants changing – see how you feel about it first and foremost, and approach it from there. You don’t ever want to end up losing yourself, because at the end of the day, when all else fails, you’ve always got yourself. Make it a good one.
4 – You’ll Be Okay On Your Own
Ugh. This where it gets a little sad. Love is beautiful and magical and humbling but it also ends. Or even if the love itself doesn’t, the relationship has to. You can love someone with everything in you but that isn’t always enough. That’s not on you. It’s not your fault. What is on you is how you react to the situation, what you learn, and how you grow from it. Focus on your passions and your hobbies, your family and friends, and most importantly – you. Grow. Change. Explore. You’ll get what you need, even if it’s not necessarily what you think you want. And isn’t that even more beautiful?
