Picture this: a girl, 3D glasses perched on her nose, staring eagerly up at the giant screen in front of her airing Disney Pixar’s latest, Inside Out.
Yeah, that girl is me, and I feel no shame in dragging my boyfriend out with me to see an animated movie— I’m nearly twenty and I can watch/laugh at/cry to/fall in love with kids’ movies if I want to. I proudly own stacks upon stacks of Disney DVDs, and probably— scratch that, definitely— can recite exact lines from those films at a slightly alarming rate. I don’t think the magic that originally drew me in as a kid will ever wear off. I’m also here to tell you that it shouldn’t. Believe it or not, Disney provides us with some of the most insightful one-liners in the game.
- You control your destiny – you don’t need magic to do it. And there are no magical shortcuts to solving your problems. – Merida, Brave
There’s nothing more comforting than knowing that you are in control. If there’s something in your life you want changed, you have the power to change it.
- I am on my way. I can go the distance! I don’t care how far. Somehow I’ll be strong, I know. Every mile will be worth my while. – Hercules, Hercules
A catchy song sung by the demigod himself, but also a great message. Life is a journey (not to throw around cliches here), and it certainly isn’t always easy. What matters is that you keep going.
- The only way to get what you want in this world is through hard work. – Tiana, The Princess and the Frog
And work hard, we shall. Don’t ever rest on your laurels; we know that nothing in life is just handed to us. Go out there and get it, whatever “it” is for you.
- The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all. – The Emperor of China, Mulan
First thing’s first, Mulan is a kickass woman, and this is a gorgeous quote. Seriously, poetic. Another reminder that there’s beauty in your struggle and merit to your strength.
- Remember, you’re the one who can fill the world with sunshine. -Snow White, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
Shoutout to women. We fill the whole frickin’ world with sunshine. Don’t you forget it.
- You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. – Christopher Robin, Winnie The Pooh
Such an unbelievably relevant quote. How often do you find yourself comparing yourself to others or putting yourself down? We really can be our own worst enemies. As good ol’ Christopher Robin aptly notes, though, you’re even better than you know.
- Your identity is your most valuable possession. Protect it. – Elastigirl, The Incredibles
The Incredibles is an amazing movie and it was tough for me to include just one quote from it, TBH. Be proud of who you are and rock it. When you’re sure of yourself and confident in your identity, you’ll be unstoppable.
- Keep moving forward. – Lewis Robinson, Meet the Robinsons
I had to; I couldn’t help it. Meet the Robinsons is only my favorite movie of all time (I wrote my Common App essay on it, no joke) and it just happens to be one of the most inspirational films made for kids – but really made for adults, too. I think this is one of the most important reminders in life: just keep moving forward. Persevere, because you know what they say: there are far better things ahead than anything we leave behind.
You’re welcome for the literary gold. And remember, as Marie from The AristoCats would say, “ladies don’t start fights, but they can finish them.”
Featured image via “Walt Disney and Minnie Mouse” by Aaron D. Feen / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
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