The Movie JOY Inspires to Not Give Up On a Dream



Some movies stick with you days after film credits have scrolled down the screen. Joy has been one of those stories for me.

When my husband and I ventured to the theater the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, we intended to see Star Wars. But even though we arrived early for a 10:30 a.m. showing, the last two tickets were sold right before we reached the window.  So we opted for seeing Joy, starring Jennifer Lawrence (love her!), Bradley Cooper, and Robert De Niro.

Although part of the story is fictionalized, it’s based on the life and experiences of Joy Managno, inventor and home shopping entrepreneur.

Joy, a divorced mother with three children, struggled to pay the bills working as an airline-reservations manager and waitress while living with her kids in a two-bedroom ranch house in Smithtown, Long Island. In 1990, she invented the first self-wringing Miracle Mop, remortgaged her home to help fund it, and manufactured it out of her father’s auto body shop. After going on QVC and selling more than 18,000 mops in less than 30 minutes, her career took off. Her net worth today is estimated to be around $50 million.

She continued to invent household products like Huggable Hangers®, My Little Steamer®, The Organize-It-All Beauty Case, and the The MemoryCloud™ Warm & Cool Pillow. Joy holds more than 100 patents for her inventions, and Huggable Hangers has become the best-selling product in HSN (Home Shopping Network) history.

The movie shows how one woman became extremely successful. But the fact that she’s wealthy isn’t as important as what I found so inspiring about this film. It’s the story of a little girl who wanted to create something that would change people’s lives. After dealing with financial hardship and numerous obstacles—and being told she couldn’t do what she set out to accomplish—she still didn’t give up. Through hard work and perseverance, she made her dreams come true.

And now … Joy Managno inspires me to not give up on my own dreams.

What movies have you seen that have been inspiring for you?

Dawn



4 comments:

  1. I love all the Kendrick brothers films, from Fly Wheel to Courageous to War Room. I think of them for quite a while afterward.

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    1. I really enjoy the films by the Kendrick brothers, too, Mary! And each one seems to be better than the last. They're learning with more experience. Courageous made an impact on my husband, and last year he introduced it as a theme for a men's retreat our church holds every year. Around 90 men of all ages (teens to 80s) participate, and the topic of courage was something they could all relate to. :-D

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  2. I've enjoyed the Kendrick brothers films too, Dawn. This looks like an excellent movie. Can't wait to see it! BTW, did you ever see Star Wars? :)

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Diane! No...I still haven't seen Star Wars. But I definitely will at some point!

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