And action!
“Every day’s a little harder /
As I feel my power grow /
Don’t you know there’s a part of me /
That longs to go /
Into the unknown.”
Who’s the most courageous Disney princess? Who comes to mind? Does it depend on what kind of villain she faces in the climax of the movie? Does it depend on how catchy the song that she sings is when she finds the courage within herself to face her problems? Or do you care what her dress looks like when she wins the battle? For most courageous I would choose Elsa, ice princess by day, self-confident queen by night! One of my favorite songs that she sings in “Frozen II” is called “Into the Unknown,” which includes the lyrics above. The courage that Disney princesses have is remarkable, and Elsa teaches us that self-confidence is not something that is stumbled upon, rather it is something that is built. Her adventures, in both movies, reveal this common thread about entering into the unknown: the journey is the reward.
Disney princesses often teach us about finding hope in seasons of discouragement. These princesses are great role models of what it means to enjoy and explore life despite seasons of discouragement. Elsa’s season of discouragement is presented early in “Frozen II.” She confronts her fears and doubts as she journeys into the enchanted forest (because if the forest wasn’t enchanted, would it even be a Disney movie?). In her empowering and way-too-catchy ballad, she exhibits her feelings of discouragement. Add it to the queue, it’s the perfect sing-along.
Throughout this song, Elsa demonstrates humility and hope. There are two steps that are prescribed for a Disney princess to actually be considered a Disney princess. She must first acknowledge the truth about being in a season of discouragement. Why would she do that? Can’t she just pretend everything is fine? Well, she absolutely could choose that path, but then she would be like the rest of us: running away from our problems, rather than confronting them. The second step that allows her to be classified as a princess is her decision to do something about being in a season of discouragement. What is it that she does? Simply put, she does the next right thing. For her, that translates to breaking out in song (obviously, that only seems like the right option to me too!), but as the captivated audience, we are able to metabolize the lessons that we can take away from these princesses.
Learning to digest these lessons from the Disney princesses simply means taking the time to notice the small lessons along your own journey. These can include:
- Learning how being strong can change in all different facets of life. Maybe right now being strong looks like saying no. Maybe being strong means following through on a commitment that was mundane.
- Speaking up when someone crosses your boundaries.
- Understanding that some friendships aren’t made to last forever, and even though it’s sad, it’s going to be okay.
- Missing plans if you need to rest, even though you might get FOMO (fear of missing out).
Maybe Elsa is teaching us that the lessons learned along the way can be gentle and should not be overlooked. In seasons of discouragement, there are often many experiences that need to be metabolized. These things aren’t quite complete, they lie somewhere in between, in the gray area. That one conversation you had that you don’t quite know how to feel about. The memories that you’re still sorting through, hoping, needing to find meaning in. The hours of the day that are moving at an extraordinarily slow pace, depending on what’s going on in your life. During these seasons, may it be recalled that there doesn’t have to be meaning in everything, in every second of the day. Maybe this season of entering into the unknown can allow you to appreciate what stands out to you!
Allow these experiences of each day to be unique to you. Start small, and notice the details of what has become overlooked or unnamed: the eye contact made with someone from across the room, the sounds of a favorite song coming on the radio, or the way your soul lights up when you are able to share pieces of your heart with those you care about the most.
And as you, like our Queen B Elsa, enter into the unknown, may you take some of her confidence as we journey each day. Here’s to finding meaning in both the simple and profound experiences all while learning to let life speak gently to us.
The time has come to take this journey into the unknown.
Are you ready?
And Action!