While growing up, I had a lot of role models. My parents, my grandparents, and the fictional characters I saw on television and read about in fairytales, the Disney princesses. The Disney princesses taught me a lot of valuable life lessons that still resonate with me today. Each princess was unique and beautiful both inside and out. I was inspired by them.
Here is a list of lessons that the Disney princesses taught me.
1. Always be kind.
Cinderella was mistreated by her step-mother and step-sisters. However, she was never unkind to them. She did everything they asked no matter what. She treated everyone, including animals, with kindness.
2. Never judge a book by its cover.
This may sound cliche, but "Beauty and the Beast" taught me this lesson. Belle didn’t judge Beast the way that the people of her town judged him. Once she got to know him, she realized that he isn’t the monster that people described him to be. He looked like a beast, but he had human qualities that she eventually fell in love with.
3. A woman can do anything that a man can.
Mulan taught me that men aren’t the only ones who can be brave and strong. By joining the Chinese army, Mulan showed that she can be brave and strong too. She could fight and withstand wartime circumstances just as men could.
4. Everyone deserves to be loved.
Snow White taught me that someone could be Happy, Grumpy, Sneezy, Dopey, or Bashful and they are still worth loving. Every person has value and it’s possible to look past their flaws. After all, no one is perfect!
5. Embrace your differences.
Elsa taught me that it’s OK to be different. For years she felt that because she was literally ice cold, she couldn’t be around other people. However, she eventually learns that it’s okay to be different. Sometimes you just have to “Let It Go,” right?
6. Have courage and follow your dreams.
The Little Mermaid, Ariel, did not settle for life “Under the Sea.” Ariel was a curious and wondrous mermaid. She dreamt about what it would be like to walk among humans and live above the water. She did not give up on this dream. She had the courage to defy what the people around her advised. When they told her that life outside the ocean was not a good life, she proved them otherwise.
7. Love your family.
Princess Merida taught me that my love for family outweighs any other kind of love. Merida’s best friend was her mother and although her parents didn’t agree with Merida’s lifestyle, she still loved them and they were always there to protect her and she was always there to protect them.
8. You are in charge of your life.
Princess Jasmine taught me that I am in charge of my own life. She ran away from her father's palace when he tried to marry her off to a snobbish man. She took charge of her life and found love on her own.
9. Hard work pays off.
Princess Tiana taught me that if you work hard, you can accomplish anything. Tiana wants to have her own restaurant. She is hardworking, independent, and strong-minded. It is through hard work and never giving up that she fulfills her dreams.
10. Believe in magic.
Disney sprinkled some magic into every princess movie. Whether it be the curse of the Beast in "Beauty and the Beast," the sleeping spell that put Sleeping Beauty to sleep, the magic in the apple that poisoned Snow White, the magic from the fairy godmother in Cinderella or the Genie that allotted three wishes in "Aladdin," there was magic surrounding the princesses. This taught me to always believe in the things that are extraordinary and out of this world.
