Ratatouille Moments: Embracing the Art of Pivoting

"This is me. I think it's apparent I need to rethink my life a little bit." – Remy the Rat, Philosopher and Chef

Recognize the line? Here's the clip. Because it's epic.

I distinctly remember when this scene aired in theaters for the trailer of Pixar's Ratatouille. And as funny as it was, with time, I've found myself referring back to it again and again as an adult. Especially as a therapist.

As I listened to client stories (ranging from kindergarten to senior-discount age), I started recognizing a pattern. There was a certain kind of experience that set everyone back on their heels. I dubbed it a “Ratatouille Moment.”

Clients would look at me like I’d lost my mind.

And I'd look back and explain what I meant.

Invariably, we'd both start laughing.

Turns out, it was a common human experience.

For this post, we'll start off with defining what a Ratatouille Moment is, and then we'll get into how it affects our creativity. (That's where that whole "Embracing the Art of Pivoting" kicks in.)

What is a Ratatouille Moment?

A Ratatouille Moment is when life goes off the rails, often triggered by a series of experiences that are partially within our control but mostly out of it.

Examples of Ratatouille Moments:

• An unexpected health diagnosis or injury

• The sudden loss of a job (and a personal reaction to it you were not expecting)

• The implosion of a relationship

• The discovery of a secret/scandal that will "cause chaos" when it gets out

It's distinct from getting completely blasted out of nowhere, beyond your control.

And it's different from you setting your own life on fire. (Which, if we're honest, we know we all can do, if we haven't scorched it already.)

Ratatouille Moments are complex because they sit in the messy middle. They’re rarely all your fault, and they are almost never only someone else’s.

The Hidden Gift

Here's the secret: Ratatouille moments are unexpected off ramps toward self-reflection, redirection, and growth.

They’re natural checkpoints, but most of us blow right past them. We’re too busy being “strong,” “resilient,” or just desperate to get away from the emotions: shame, guilt, embarrassment, fear, anger, and uncertainty.

Who in their right mind would pause there and sift through the debris?

A wise person, as it were.

Learning the Hard Way

I’ll be honest: I haven’t always handled my Ratatouille Moments wisely. Jokingly, not so jokingly, I'm known as the "honey badger" around here, which comes with the perks of being stubborn, tough, and always ready to push through.

The downside? I’ve often treated Ratatouille Moments like obstacles to conquer instead of opportunities to reset.

But sometimes obstacles are not meant to be scaled.

Sometimes they’re divine detours meant to redirect us toward something better.

Yeehaw.

On to pivoting.

Embracing the Art of Pivoting

I don't like pivoting. I’d rather “keep on keeping on” and hope things stay intact. But that’s not how life works.

Sometimes the sign that we need to pivot comes through implosion. And that hurts––often like hell.

We can't control when Ratatouille moments come busting into our lives. If we could...would we ever let them in? Honestly?

So the question becomes:

When Ratatouille moments come, what do we do with them?

Before we get practical, let’s connect this to creativity.

Ratatouille Moments and Creativity

As I was reflecting on the movie, I realized Remy's whole Ratatouille Moment actually led him to Paris, the place where his cooking skills could grow.

Creativity often follows the same pattern.

When I've leaned into things falling apart, changing shape, or honestly imploding, and embraced them as moments to pivot, the outcome has always been better in the long-run. Now, the better outcome might not mean the resurrection of a previous passion project. It might mean starting something new entirely that was unexpectedly necessary and life-giving.

But the point is when we reframe Ratatouille moments from disasters into pivots, we can move from choosing between two unhelpful choices––plowing ahead, or giving up––to a brand new outcome.

How to Embrace a Ratatouille Moment (Practically Speaking)

Note that the entire list below should be done with God, which is always possible, and with healthy people, as you are able.

01/ Name It

We've said it already, but often we skip past these off ramps simply because we don't recognize what they are. We're too caught up in how they feel. (Which sucks.) So, start with naming it.

“Oh. This is a Ratatouille Moment.”

02/ Slow Down

In the wake of a Ratatouille moment, your nervous system is screaming, adrenaline is pumping, and you're tempted to fix or attempt to fix everything ASAP. Wisdom? Take some time. Calm your body down. Maybe don't send that text right away, or make that call, or add fuel to the fire with gossip. Slow. It. All. Down.

03/ Grieve

Ratatouille Moments always involve loss. And in the words of Tim Ross,

"You can't leave what you haven't properly grieved."

04/ Reflect Before Pivoting

This is the whole "sift through the debris" stage. And unless something is actually on fire and needs immediate intention, slow your decision making down until you've figured out what happened. Otherwise you'll be bound to repeat. This is where you sort through what was out of your control, and what wasn’t, so you don’t repeat the same cycle.

05/ Move Forward with Faith

Pivoting requires courage and faith. It’s shaky. It’s unfamiliar. You probably won’t be able to imagine a good outcome, and that’s not lack of faith; it’s just how your brain works. Be compassionate with yourself. Feel what you need to feel. And pivot anyway, trusting that God is in it with you.

God's got you.

Even, and especially, in the unexpected.