How Trolls Changed My Life – Life Lessons Learned

The other night, we decided to have a family movie night.  Trolls seemed to have gotten great reviews from both parents and kids, so seemed like the right choice.  I figured it’d be one of those movies where I’d start it, let the kids enjoy and try to pretend that I was interested.  I’m so happy that I was wrong.  I was so surprised at how great it was.  I think I may have liked it just as much, if not more than the kids.  We’ve seen it three times now and I’m sure there’s going to be so many more times to come.  I was amazed at how many life lessons were packed into one little movie.  Every family should see it at least once.

 THINGS THAT MAKE US HAPPY COULD BE TRAGIC FOR SOMEONE ELSE

Everyone assumed that Branch didn’t sing because he was a grump and was being anti-social.  It turns out that he had a very good (although sad) reason for not singing.

Lesson Learned:  Don’t be so quick to judge someone’s reason for not wanting to do something.  The reason behind it could be much deeper than you could ever imagine.

HAPPINESS CAN BE CONTAGIOUS

They say that misery loves company, but I think the opposite is also true.  Happiness is contagious.  You stick around happy people long enough and you can’t help but to be happy.

You could see it time and time again throughout the movie.

Poppy’s happiness was eventually able to turn Branch’s somber mood around.  Near the end, the Trolls were able to help the Bergen to find their own happiness.  A little more about that later.

Lesson learned:  You never know just how much your happy mood might be helping someone else.

HELP CAN COME FROM UNEXPECTED PLACES

You never know where a helping hand might come from.  It can come at the most unexpected time from the most unexpected places.

On their journey to find their friends, Branch and Poppy were lost on their journey.  They came across the Cloud Guy, who immediately rubbed Branch the wrong way.  Although he didn’t like him, the Cloud Guy led the duo exactly where they needed to go.  The castle where their friends were being held.

Lesson learned:  Give people a chance.  You never know the good they can bring into your life.

PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT AND SET UP TO BE ENEMIES CAN ACTUALLY BE THE BEST OF FRIENDS

Every movie seems to have a similar theme, especially for children’s movies.  There are the good guys and the bad guys and somehow the good guys seem to come out on top.  The Trolls movie seemed to start out the same way.  It was the trolls against the Bergen.  The Bergen were made to believe that the key to their happiness is to eat Trolls who were already happy.  By the end of the movie, they come to find that they had a lot more in common than originally thought.

Bridget, who is originally tasked with the job of keeping the Trolls under guard ends up being one of their closest friends.  They help each other through some of their toughest times and in some cases, risking their lives for one another.  In the end, true friendship can happen no matter what your differences are.

Lesson Learned:  Don’t judge a book by its cover.  Don’t base your friendships on how society has defined they should be.

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE JUST HOW SPECIAL YOU ARE

Unfortunately, sometimes we define ourselves by what we have or the way we look.  Maybe even by our job title.  Sadly, that’s what happened to Bridget.  She felt that because she was “just” a servant in King Gristle’s castle and she didn’t feel beautiful, that somehow she wasn’t good enough for the king.

Bridget initially snagged the King’s attention by going all out to look and act like someone else.  She was terrified that if the king were to find out who she really was, he would want nothing to do with her (Cinderella anyone?)  When the truth finally did come to light, the opposite happened.  He saw just how special she truly was despite everything else and they were able to begin their happily ever after.

Lesson Learned:  Just be you.  People will love you just as you are.

EVERYONE IS WORTH SAVING, BUT NOT EVERYONE CAN BE SAVED

The Trolls risk their lives to try and save their friend creek who had been captured for King Gristle to eat.  It turns out that the Trolls should have been watching Creek more carefully.  He had made a deal with Chef to give up all the other Trolls in exchange for sparing his life.  The Trolls were willing to risk their lives to save their friend.  Creek was also willing to risk the lives of his friends in order to save himself.

Lesson Learned:  Sometimes your friends turn out to be the opposite of who you think they are.

DON’T LET THE ACTIONS OF OTHERS TAKE AWAY YOUR WANT TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT

The Trolls were betrayed by one of their closest friends Creek, who offered them in his place to be eaten by the Bergen.  This could have made the Trolls not want to trust anyone.  They could simply cut their losses and return to their simple lives.

Instead, they continue to go out of their way to help others.  They risk themselves to save their friend Bridget and work to show the Bergen what it truly means to be happy.

Lesson Learned:  Don’t let the actions of one person keep you from being a friend to others.

SOMETIMES YOUR BIGGEST MOMENT OF HAPPINESS AND CLARITY CAN COME AT YOUR DARKEST HOUR

The Trolls were all together in a pot preparing for dinner (unfortunately, they were the main course).  It seemed as though all of the efforts they had made were for nothing.  All of their happiness had drained from them and It seemed all that was left was hopelessness and despair.  There was no singing.  No dancing.  Even Poppy, who was always hopeful and happy during hard times, had given up.  They had seemingly accepted their fate as the main entrée in the Bergen celebration.

Or had they?

Branch realized that he had everything right there in that pot that he needed to be happy.  He had the people around him that he loved and that loved him back.  No matter what happened that couldn’t be taken away from him.  With that realization, even in the face of danger the Trolls were able to pull themselves together and restore their hopes for something better.

Lesson Learned:  Don’t ever give up hope.  There’s always something to be grateful and your best moments can be just around the corner.

HAPPINESS DOES NOT COME FROM EXTERNAL SOURCES OR FROM “WINNING” – THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL (OR TROLL) FOR HAPPINESS

I think we’ve all made the mistake where we think that we need “something else” in order to make us happy.

I know I have.  It could be a new pair of shoes, new car, or even another person.  That somehow if we could only find that “one thing”, we’d truly be happy.  The Bergens had been thinking that forever.  That if you could eat a Troll, then you could find happiness.

The Bergens (like me) found out that there is no “thing” or magic solution or pill you could take to make you happy.  You had to take care of that on your own starting with yourself.  Once you’re happy with yourself, everything else could get a whole lot easier.

LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP

In going through my divorce, I learned first-hand that love and friendship could get you through anything.  My love for my children kept getting me up ready to face another day, even when my now ex-husband was working to bring my world to an end.

My family and friends stuck by me, even when I wasn’t very pleasant to be around and it was difficult for me to stick by myself.  If you have special people like that, hold onto them with everything you have.

Love and friendship ruled the day for the Trolls as well.  When Creek was kidnapped, the Trolls didn’t hesitate to go out and rescue him.  When Bridget was lovesick over King Gristle, the Trolls helped her to find love.

Bridget risked her life on behalf of the Trolls, willing to sacrifice herself in order to let them escape.  The displays of friendship all throughout the movie were heartwarming to say the least.

MUSIC AND DANCING ARE A GOOD CURE FOR THE BLUES

Now I understand that music is not going to solve the world’s problems or bring about world peace, but doesn’t it make you feel a whole lot better?  Anytime I get down, I put on some of my favorite tunes and instantly my mood improves.

I get that Disney is all about the music (they’ve got to sell a soundtrack, right?), but music and singing were a big part of the Trolls lifestyle and never failed to put everyone in a better mood.  Even the Bergens got in on the act with the Trolls at the end.

REVENGE IS NOT THE ANSWER

Creek betrayed the other Trolls in a way that most of us will never experience in our lifetimes.  He was willing to trade the lives of all of his friends in order to save himself.

Rather than try to seek revenge against Creek (or even have any harsh words for him) the simply moved on.  He ended up getting what he deserved in the end.

I’ve thought thousands of times about trying to get back at my ex-husband.  When he started calling my clients and making false claims, or refused to pay his portion of the mortgage.  I would get so angry and think of ways to get back at him.  It was making me miserable.  I then discovered that I could only control my actions.  That I could only keep doing my best to take care of my family and live my life.  Everything else would have to take care of itself.  Since then, I have been so much happier and life has gotten so much better.

IT TAKES A LOT OF ENERGY TO BE UNHAPPY

In looking at the Bergen, they always seemed to be physically weighed down by their unhappiness.  They spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to be happy.  Been there, done that.

I’m still blown away by just how much I enjoyed Trolls.  I feel like it was made just for me and my family.

There were so many wonderful things that came out of that movie.  Rent the DVD or go out and buy it.  I promise it’s worth it.

Once you’ve had a chance to watch it, come back and let me know what you think.  If you’ve already seen it, what’d you think?