18 Inspirational Tips From Pixar’s film Soul
….a movie that made me realize–midlife isn’t an ending. It’s a new beginning
Pixar’s Soul is a reflection of your own soul that’s been whispering for years: you were never meant to be “fixed”—you were meant to be fully seen.
An honest confession from my “former life”
Years ago, you would’ve found me glued to my laptop, managing tourism campaigns, chasing media hits, and checking off all the “successful woman” boxes…and feeling strangely hollow inside. I remember one afternoon, sitting in a dark hotel room between meetings, watching Pixar’s Soul on my laptop, tears rolling down my face as Joe Gardner chased his big break and Soul 22 resisted coming to Earth.
It hit me: I had become a “lost soul” in high heels. Obsessively in the zone, yet disconnected from what truly mattered—my son’s laughter, Sunday dinners, slow sunsets, my own inner voice. My identity revolved around achievement, not alignment. That moment helped ignite what would later become Spiritual Personality Typing™—a sacred bridge between your human personality and your Divine, soul-led self.
A soulful look at how life is often consumed by an all-out ambition to find your purpose, a driving message from the new Pixar movie Soul. Nina Zapala, Spiritual Personality Typing
Why Soul speaks to midlife women
Soul is not just a delightful movie; it’s a gentle wake-up call for women who’ve spent decades being responsible, high-achieving, and accommodating—and are now quietly wondering, “Is this really it?”
Many midlife women will encounter a powerful crossroads. You’ve gathered wisdom, survived storms, and outgrown old expectations. You’re less interested in retiring and more interested in re-firing: building something meaningful, soulful, legacy-level. Life has taken on new meanings, beyond “looking younger” it’s about wanting to feel fully alive, on your own terms, ready to stop performing and start being.
Spiritual Personality Typing: a true self roadmap
Here’s the heart of my work: Divine Intelligence did not toss you onto this planet with a random personality and a “good luck, dear.” Your distinct personality is the tool your soul relies on. It’s your custom-crafted instrument—your way of thinking, feeling, deciding, creating, loving, and contributing.
Spiritual Personality Typing is a sacred self‑identity system that helps you see how your human traits and your spiritual nature are meant to work together, not fight each other. Instead of trying to “fix” your personality, you learn to befriend it, refine it, and let it become a channel for your soul’s intentions. That’s when midlife stops feeling like a decline and starts feeling like a divine assignment.
You’ve lived enough life to know what doesn’t work. Now you get to consciously build what does—vibrant, simple, soulful, legacy-rooted.
The film’s core invitation: stop chasing, start living
One of the most powerful threads in Soul is the way Joe chases one defining moment—his big gig—believing it will finally make life feel complete. How many years have you hustled for your own version of “the gig”—the title, the relationship, the perfect body, the full calendar—only to whisper, “Now what?”
The movie reminds us that life isn’t only about one grand purpose; it’s about the sacredness of everyday moments: a warm slice of pizza, fall leaves on a sidewalk, deep belly laughter, meaningful conversation with the barber who’s been in your life for years. When you begin to live from your soul instead of your schedule, joy moves from “someday” to “right here.”
18 Inspirational Tips From Pixar’s New Film Soul
Below are the 18 tips from Pixar’s new film Soul The star and featured character, Joe Gardner, a jazz musician and part-time teacher, is at a crossroads in his life. He meets Soul 22, a soul who has been preparing for an earthbound life for thousands of years. Soul 22 is resistant to living a life on earth, fueled by misleading beliefs, without fully experiencing or knowing. Through Joe, Soul 22 comes to realize that life can be an exciting adventure.
Soul 22: Her Inspirational Tip Takeaways
22 tells Joe to call Lisa; Joe says he doesn’t have time. If not now, when? Stop putting things off, thinking tomorrow is better—your soul is asking for presence today, not someday.
How many of us feel pain when someone criticizes us? Consider 22’s realization: sometimes criticism is just someone masking their own failed dreams. Let their words fall away so you can stay loyal to your own.
Your love of things—being, doing, creating—often attracts others who quietly benefit from your passion. Like 22, mesmerized by Jon Batiste’s music, remember: your joy is a blessing to others, even when you don’t see the impact.
Do you hold yourself back because your life feels comfortable and predictable? That was 22’s excuse: “stay with what you know.” Yet she began to soar when she stepped outside her comfort zone—and that’s when her True Self spark ignited.
Many of us find our spark, like 22, only to have negative voices and critics squash our dreams. Turn down the volume on those voices and replace them with compassionate self‑talk. One beautiful practice: enter each day looking for ten tiny ways you’ll experience joy; over time, this soft practice rewires your inner dialogue
You are here to fall in love with life—people, seasons, conversations, and the everyday—not only to chase a single, society‑approved purpose. When you catch yourself spiraling into overthinking, use your breath to call you back to now: inhale “I am here,” exhale “Life is here.”
Not everything needs to become an ambitious goal. Let yourself play more. Put “playdates” with your soul on your calendar—a walk with no destination, doodling, singing, dancing in your kitchen—moments where outcome doesn’t matter, only aliveness.
Let go of the need to be fiercely independent all the time. Asking trusted friends and family for support is not weakness; it’s sacred reciprocity. You’ll be surprised by their kindness, wisdom, and how good it feels to be held.
If you want to be what 22 calls “jazzin’”—inspiring and alive—start by filling your own cup. When you are spiritually, emotionally, and physically nourished, the overflow naturally uplifts everyone you encounter. You become living proof that midlife can be vibrant and soul‑lit.
Many of us become “lost souls” because we take other people’s words as absolute truth—when in fact, they may be projecting their own fears and unhealed places. A powerful mindfulness practice: pause and pray, “Show me what is mine to carry and what is not,” and gently release the rest.
Like Joe, you may recognize seasons where obsession with work, status, or success pulled you away from what truly matters. Let go of competing and constant proving, and choose to follow your heart instead. A heart‑led life brings its own kind of winning season: freedom, presence, and deep connection.
Remember: lost souls aren’t that different from those in the zone; when joy mutates into obsession, you become disconnected from life itself. Your invitation in midlife is to move from obsession to devotion—letting your gifts, your personality, and your spirit collaborate to create a life that feels like you, every single day.
You know, lost souls are not that different from those in the zone. The zone is enjoyable, but when that joy becomes an obsession, one becomes disconnected from life. MoonWind, A mystic character in the movie who helps lost souls
Reframing midlife: from crisis to initiation
Let’s be honest: midlife has been sold to women as decline, invisibility, or a race against aging. You’ve been told to shrink, smooth, erase, “age gracefully” (which often means “age quietly”). No more.
Midlife is a magical. audacious, bold or simple threshold. It’s your’s to design. And this is where your personality and your spirit can finally become allies. You’ve lived enough life to know what doesn’t work. Now you get to consciously build what does—vibrant, simple, soulful, legacy-rooted.
A journal prompt to begin navigating your roadmap to self…
Grab your journal, light a candle, and breathe deeply for a few moments. Then write freely for 10–15 minutes:
Journal Prompt:
Where in my life have I been chasing someone else’s definition of purpose, and what small, soul‑aligned desire is quietly asking to be honored instead?
Let yourself write without editing. Your soul is already talking; this is your invitation to listen.
A Gentle Steps
If your heart is whispering, “This is me. I’m 22. I’m Joe. I want to embrace me,” you do not have to untangle this alone. This is exactly where Spiritual Personality Typing becomes a powerful guide.
Here are a few soft, soul‑honoring ways to step forward:
Book a 1:1 Awakening Session
If you’re standing at a midlife crossroads and craving clarity about who you really are and what’s next, a personalized clarity session is a beautiful place to start. Together, we’ll explore your soul-inspired personality type and begin to untangle the old stories from your True Self. It all begins with a simple phone call. Click here for more.
Feel Free To Share The Message
My hope is always to encourage fresh ways of seeing yourself and to plant seeds of truth. Through Spiritual Personality Typing℠, we can remember who we really are—and in doing so, lift the vibration of the planet together.
If this message stirred something in you, share it with a friend, sister, or coworker who may need the reminder. You never know who’s waiting for this nudge. For more inspiration, you can also find me on Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
Travel as Soul Discovery
During my own life tsunami, I birthed a new way of seeing travel. Instead of bucket lists, I began seeking journeys led by the soul—experiences that expand, not escape. My book, Unpack Your Personality: Let Your Inner Guide Be Your Travel Guide, is part memoir, part guide, part reimagined personality framework through the lens of spirit. Each page is meant to help you discover a new destination: yourself.
If you’re curious about your unique Travel Personality Type, I’d love to explore it with you in a one-on-one session.
Dive Deeper
If this message resonates, you may enjoy my conversation on the Mindset Mastery with host Dr. Alisa Whyte: Discovering Your True Self With Spiritual Personality Typing and Travel. 👉 Listen here
More ways to explore:
Watch on YouTube
Read: How To Trust Your Intuition and Inspire Other No Matter Your Age
Read: Discover Hidden Personality Traits To Unlock Your New Beginning
Pick up Unpack Your Personality here
About Spiritual Personality Typing℠
My goal is to shift perspectives around MBTI® personality typing—to break free from stereotypes and oversimplifications. Remember, your personality type is sacred. Your persona is just a mask.
It’s my intention that you begin to see your archetype as a sacred tool—an expression of your true self.
Of course, good things in life come to those who do the work. Take responsibility and make personality typing, infused with spiritual understanding, a daily practice. You’ll soon realize that your rational self and your soul self rely on each other to ignite a soulful, meaningful life. When you fully embrace this concept, a profound awakening occurs. It moves you closer to your truth, liberating you from a purposeless existence.
You’ll be ready for any occasion, situation, or event—whether it’s travel, relationships, career, passion, or purpose. Ahh, the freedom to live a meaningful life—isn’t that what we all desire?
Who Is Nina Zapala?
I created Spiritual Personality Typing℠ during what I call my “midlife tsunami,” a season of upheaval that stripped away illusions and brought me to truth. A liberating lesson taught me; old-school typology only tells half the story. This realization lead to a new personality paradigm one that bridges the personality and soul. This isn’t another new activation it’s alignment—a committed way of living true to your self.
Today I guide women just like you to ignite the relationship between soul and personality the totality of your true self-expression—free from fear or compromise. Think of it as a coming into wholeness–gracious, yet audacious; releasing the patriarchy, invisibility, and anti-aging tropes. A return to simple and soulful living. Vibrant. Free. Liberated.
Here’s what I’ve come to know: Every wrinkle is a story. Every scar, a sacred map. When we deny our true self, the soul withers. When we embrace her, we bloom into timelessness.
Photo Credit: Pixar’s Soul Movie
Updated: 12.31.2024
