Five Timeless Life Lessons From Disney Movies
#1. It’s never too late — Up (2009)
Oftentimes, when watching movies we forget to recognize the lessons and morals of the movie. Disney movies are a classic in many households around the world. They feature fairytales and stories enjoyed by many children and adults alike. Looking past an animated character, one can find deeply profound lessons that are relatable to our day to day lives.
Though the lessons come from an animated character on a screen, the wisdom behind the dialogue and characters are genuinely wise.
1. Remember, it’s never too late — Up (2009)
The movie Up revolves around Carl and Russel. The movie starts with a young Carl and his wife Ellie often seen saving their money for important responsibilities and commitments. Various circumstances led them to not being able to take the adventure they truly wanted to go on — a trip to Paradise Falls.
Years after the passing of Ellie, Carl decides to go on the trip he and his wife had dreamed of with Russel, a 9-year old Wilderness Explorer hoping to get a badge for assisting Carl. Together, they experience many adventures and ultimately make it to Paradise Falls. Despite is age, Carl decided to do what he had always dreamed of, teaching us a lesson that age and time are merely numbers.
Oftentimes, it may seem that you have run out of time to accomplish your goals, but it is imperative to remember that it is never too late, as long as you get there.
How to do it: Believe in yourself and don’t let fear dictate your actions. You will become your worst enemy if you doubt yourself. Believing that you can achieve your dreams is the first and most important step towards accomplishing anything. It is normal for humans to fear, but letting fear control your actions will keep you from some of the most fulfilling aspects of life.
Practicing positive affirmations are a great, scientifically proven way to believe in yourself. One of the key psychological theories behind positive affirmations is the self-affirmation theory. The self-affirmation theory suggests that we can maintain our self-integrity and protect our self-esteem by affirming what we want to or already believe.
2. Don’t be a worrier — The Lion King (1994)
“Hakuna Matata. It means no worries for the rest of your days.”
Timon and Pumbaa are the meerkat-warthog duo living a happy-go-lucky lifestyle practicing the “Hakuna Matata” philosophy in The Lion King. “Hakuna Matata” is a Swahili phrase translating to “no worries.” They introduced the concept to a sad and depressed Simba, who blamed himself for his father’s death.
In today’s society, we are taught that a good education, stable job, and self-sufficiency are the most important things in life, but while that teaches us responsibility, it makes us forget how essential it is for our mental health to live a carefree lifestyle.
Of course, that doesn’t mean to not care about things that are important like your relationships or work, but it is important to find the perfect balance of responsible and carefree.
How to do it: Try to not spend time worrying about the inevitable. If something is inevitable, it is out of your hand to change or stop, so why waste precious time focusing on what you cannot solve.
Journal writing is a powerful and effective way to work through your thoughts and feelings. It will allow you to relieve stress and worries, as well as reflect on why you feel the way that you do. Start by ditching the guilt of not being consistent, and just start. The words will flow onto the paper itself.
3. Don’t judge someone by their appearance — Beauty and The Beast (1991)
Appearances can be deceiving — that is what Belle learned after meeting the Beast, a young prince was punished and turned into a conventionally unattractive beast, for judging another person’s appearance. Everyone makes quick decisions, it’s part of how we get through the craziness of life, but judging someone quickly by their looks could make you lose out significantly because of your superficial judgment.
Though the prince looked selfish and cruel, once Belle truly got to know him, she realized that beauty is only skin deep. She showed that one needs to look past appearances to see true beauty.
Forming an opinion on someone based purely on how they look, says more about you than the person you are judging. Height, weight, clothes, or skin color should not play a role in how you perceive others.
How to do it: Developing a non-judgemental attitude will not only give you a new perspective on how you view others but also allow you to accept people from all walks of life. Catch yourself before you judge someone and keep in mind that appearances can often be deceptive. You don’t know their story or may have judged their situation quickly.
4. Embrace who you are — Frozen (2013)
Elsa is the famous princess of Arendell with the magical ability to create and manipulate ice. She is seen at the begging of the movie, constantly struggling to accept and make peace with her powers and even stays locked in a room for most of her childhood so she wouldn’t harm anyone with them.
Elsa was determined to conceal the magic which turned out to be beautiful and controllable at the end of the film.
The way you treat yourself sets the standard for How others should treat you. Embracing your uniqueness
How to do it: Try not to belittle yourself over small things. Everyone makes mistakes, and mistakes are part of how humans learn. It is vital that you begin to associate with your positive attributes instead of concentrating on the negative ones. Self-criticism will not help you in the long run when referring to career and personal success.
Speak to yourself as if you are speaking to someone you love and want to encourage. This positive growth-mindest will not only help you build self-esteem but will make you more open to learning new things.
5. Believe in yourself — Mulan (2004)
Mulan, an ordinary, small-town girl took a chance to pose as a man to become a warrior. Though the odds were not in her favor, she went against all the wishes of her family and the rules of society. When Mulan returned, she gained honor and respect by being a fearless warrior at war.
If you were in Mulan’s shoes, what would you do? It took a lot of courage and faith in herself to put her life at risk to fight for what she stood for. She lived in a society where women were taught to stay at home and take care of housework, yet she chose to pave her own path and was confident in her abilities.
How to do it: Go for it. Find confidence and motivation for what you want to do, and it is as simple as doing it. It is much easier to find reasons to not do something but finding the positive aspects of your ambitions will make it much easier to believe in yourself.
Self-esteem also plays a vital role in how you feel about yourself and your abilities. Never let negative self-talk control your brain. Nobody ever feels good when their flaws are constantly pointed out by others, so why do it to yourself? Harsh words are just as damaging when they come from you. Licensed psychologist, Cindy T. Graham, PhD says a great way to not damage your self-esteem, is to keep negative self-talk in check.
