What I Learned From Disney Movies

I was talking movies with my boyfriend the other day and we went back to our childhoods. I was mostly raised on classic Disney and I thank God every day that I was. I think they shaped me as a person and even today I try to put their lessons into practice because really….they are a tale as old as time.

Movie: Beauty and the Beast

Lesson: Don’t judge by appearances

I wouldn’t advocate dating someone who is literally an animal (it’s Disney so I won’t make any bedroom jokes), but I would promote keeping an open mind. I was very anti-jock when I was in eighth grade (even though I played both basketball and soccer). I was taunted by the “popular” kids who did sports and sought my refuge in the artsy kids. But as I got a little older, I expanded my social palette. I dated two athletes back to back (a hockey player, then a football player). I saw how dedicated someone had to be to commit to a school sport, that it promoted hard work and commitment. And I was impressed.

Movie: Cinderella

Lesson: There is such a thing as “too nice”

Growing up I always wondered why Cinderella was such a, forgive me, pushover. I mean, I love her and her dress rocks but why didn’t she just tell her family to shove it? My mom said it was because she couldn’t stand up for herself. I decided I wouldn’t have that problem. When I was in seventh grade, a new kid moved to our school. We’ll call him D. D was a bully. He liked weakness and because I was a straight A student I guess he thought maybe I wouldn’t fight back. He made fun of my appearance especially the mole on the left side of my face. I went home and cried several days in a row. Finally, in art class, I had enough. I took one of the paint covered magazines that we had been working with and stuck it to his shirt. Suddenly the bully became a (whiny) victim. He howled to the teacher immediately. She gave me an out. “I’m sure it was an accident, right, Catherine?” I could have taken the out. But I wanted to take a stand. So I said (with a big smile) “Nope” I could detention but so what? D never bothered me again.

Movie: The Little Mermaid

Lesson: Take risks

On the surface, it might seem like Ariel’s risk (a bargain with the sea witch) didn’t work out. But in the end she is reconciled with her father and marrying Prince Eric in a regular ol happy ever after. So introduce yourself to that cool new person at the poetry slam (me). Wear the colorful dress. Practice driving in the empty parking lot (well, that one is more for me). Risks (within reason) are not always negative. Like having cheese fondue for the first time.

Movie: Sleeping Beauty

Lesson: Worrying won’t solve anything

In this movie, Aurora’s parents and fairy godmothers destroy anything relating to spinning wheels because it is predicted that Aurora will prick her finger on one of them. But Maleficent (the villain) just conjures one out of thin air so all that worrying was for nothing. Worrying won’t prevent something bad from happening. I live in a perpetual state of worry; I’m worried all the time. Yet I know that it doesn’t accomplish anything it just ruins a good time and makes you really irritable.

Movie: Aladdin

Lesson: Don’t lie

I grew up lying to my parents. I lied about who I was dating, what I was drinking, if I was smoking, where I was going, who I was with. I guess I thought it made me cooler and I also knew they would ground me if they knew the truth. And I deserved to be grounded! I don’t think I was a bad kid. I never hurt anyone, stole anything, damaged property or did anything harder than marijuana. I also was very misunderstood (I was not properly diagnosed as bipolar until 21). But my life got infinitely easier to navigate when I applied this lesson and stopped lying.

Movie: Snow White

Lesson: Whistle While You Work

Not only is it a song, it’s a philosophy. Put on music while you go through your bookshelf. Sing in the morning (I borrowed this from Gretchen Rubin). I exert a lot of effort not to be brought down by “work”. There will always be unpleasantness. The important thing is to hum through it.

Movie: Tangled

Lesson: Don’t let your fear limit your dreams

Rapunzel is terrified to defy her “mother” and leave her tower. But her dream to “see the floating lanterns gleam” prevailed and she left her tower on a dangerous adventure that eventually led her to her birthright and the truth. If something feels right for you (besides cocaine), it probably is. We all have our “true paths” we must follow and we can’t let fear stand in the way. For me that meant going away to college even though I had barely left home before and every time I did I became homesick. It was the best thing I ever did. Even though the end was a little rocky, (“traumatic” as my dad would say) it was a great experience and I don’t regret a thing. It was always a dream of mine to go away to college and I did it. Another dream was to compete in a poetry slam. In case you don’t know, that shit is scary. You get judged on the merit of your poem and performance. To date I’ve won four slams. That could never have happened if I hadn’t tried.

Movie: Frozen

Lesson: Friendship endures stronger than romance

When I look back at college do you think I remember the romances and how they went awry? No I always recall Jake and Alice with a smile. I pine for Derrick’s friendship rather than Bryan’s kisses. The friends you spend time with day after day (games of midnight pool, forming a “cult”- yes, I did that-, playing volleyball) always outweigh a man you met after just one day.

Movie: Mulan

Lesson: Don’t let social norms limit you

When I was in elementary school, I loved playing football. You think the guys in my grade were thrilled by a girl (who knew all the rules!) running through “their” field? None of the guys passed to me even when I was wide open. They still operated under the rule that girls had cooties, even girls they liked. But day after day would find me on the football field. The lunch monitor refused to let them kick me out of their games so they had to let me play. Eventually, they made me so miserable I just stopped. Think Mulan would have done that? She saved all of China by dressing as a guy and using her wits to save her commanding officer, the emperor and defeat the Huns….all in the face of misogyny.

Movie: The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Lesson: Outcasts must stick together

When I was in eighth grade, my own grade picked on me mercilessly, often in a sexual sense. I found my refuge amongst stage crew where other social outcasts of all ages could go to seek shelter. When they came across me being picked on in the hallways or lunchroom, my friends weren’t afraid to stand up for me….and I did the same to them. In this heartbreaking movie, the beautiful gypsy Esmeralda stands up for the disfigured Quasimodo and in turn he saves her life.

Movie: Hercules

Lesson: You don’t have to have super strength to be a hero

Hercules is obviously a hero. But not for his looks or his charm or his super strength or his prestigious birth. He is a hero because he is a good person. He risks his superstrength so that he can save Meg’s life, he is constantly using his powers to help others and he is courageous in the face of villains (Hades). We may not be descended from the Gods or be able to pick up columns with a single hand but we can be heroes just like Hercules.

You can learn a lot from Disney movies- about life, about love, about yourself. So the next time someone criticizes you for flopping down with a tub of popcorn and a timeless classic just know