Disney movies are amazing on a lot of levels. However, the very best thing about these childhood classics is the way they convey important life messages in such an entertaining manner. I, like many other Americans, grew up with Disney movies, and I definitely feel that they helped shape me into who I am today. Here are a few of the important life lessons that Disney movies teach young viewers.
1. Never Give Up
Many Disney movies make a point of teaching us to follow our hearts and persevere despite challenges. One in particular that I grew up with—and still stays with me to this day—is Cinderella. Not only did that poor girl lose both of her parents, she was stuck living in the attic and wearing rags. However, Cinderella never gave up on her dreams and neither should you. After all, hers did come true eventually, and yours very well might too.
2. Dream Big and Work Hard
Tiana from Disney’s Princess and the Frog is another wonderful young lady who doesn’t give up. Tiana teaches an even more important lesson though, which is that dreams come true, but you have to work to make it happen. Are you willing to put in the work to make your dreams come true?
3. Be Yourself
Sometimes the world pushes us to fit into boxes and molds that we weren’t made for. We may feel pressured to take up paths in life that don’t suit us, or we may feel as though we have to dress or act in a certain way. Mulan taught us to see past what society expects of us and be ourselves, no matter what. Ultimately, doing this helped save China, showing us just how important it is to be true to yourself.
4. Don’t Let Fear Hold You Back
Poor miss Rapunzel spent a long 18 years locked in a tower, being held there only by fear of the outside world. However, once she faces those fears and starts exploring the world for herself, she realizes that there is far more good out there than there is bad, and sometimes she must brave the bad to enjoy the best parts of life. Never, ever let fear hold you back from enjoying the good in your life.
5. Love is Blind
When it comes to true love, external appearances don’t matter. Belle taught us that when she fell in love with the Beast despite his less-than-stellar looks. She saw that the Beast was kind and gentle on the inside, and encouraged him to let his outer appearances go and let those good things shine through. Remember to never dismiss someone based on appearances, and always help others see the beauty within themselves.
6. Differences are a Good Thing
Nobody likes being different. It can make you feel sad, lonely, and out of place. However, in most cases our differences are what makes us amazing. Take Dumbo for instance. His big ears were a source of embarrassment at the beginning of the movie. However, by the end, they were his ticket to success. Do you have an equivalent to Dumbo’s big ears?
7. Friends Make the Impossible Possible
There are tons of amazing Disney movies about the power of friendship. Toy Story is an awesome example of this. By setting their differences aside and becoming friends, Woody and Buzz are able to accomplish amazing things that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. Hopefully we all have some good friends around to help us out when we get into a pickle.
8. Winning Isn’t Everything
Lightning McQueen was so focused on winning every race that he was missing out on the most important parts of life. It took an accidental visit to the tiny town of Radiator Springs to help him see what he was missing. Are you too focused on winning the race, getting the promotion, being the best at everything? Have you forgotten the importance of family and friends?
9. Happiness is Not Found in Things, but People
Cool gadgets and awesome houses are great, but at the end of the day these things cannot make us truly happy. What can bring us joy are the people we love. This is something we learned from the heartfelt movie, Up. Carl knew the joy of having a close loved one, and when he lost her, he thought he’d never be happy again. Luckily, young Russell waltzed into his life and helped him find love and happiness once again.
10. Good Always Beats Evil
Finally, we must mention the ultimate Disney life lesson, one that is in nearly every Disney movie ever made: Good always beats evil. While this might not always appear to be true on the surface, when you dig down deep enough, when you wait long enough, and when you go back far enough, you’ll realize that it is indeed true. Therefore, always choose the good, kind, and true path, because it is the path that will lead you to a happy and successful life.