Do you know ROY G. BIV? Good ol’ Roy isn’t a who, but a what. It is how you can remember the colors of the rainbow: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet. I was thinking about these colors the other day and it made me think of Disney princesses. Certain princesses are known by their color; either the color of their hair, the color of their gown, or some other defining feature. So for seven posts we’re going to have fun exploring the colors of the rainbow, Disney princesses, and fun activities connected to them. Today we focus on indigo which reminded me of Mulan.
Indigo is often the forgotten color of the rainbow. It is just easier to say green, blue, purple. But the blue is lighter and the indigo is truly different. I think Mulan is similar to indigo. It is a truly different Disney princess movie. Don’t get me wrong, I love this movie, but Mulan is not really a princess, and she fights like a man. That makes this movie unique. But the ending scene with the Emperor is one of my favorite scenes ever.
5 fun facts about Mulan:
1) This was the first full-length animated film completed produced at the Florida Disney studio.
2) Pat Morita (Mr. Miyagi from the Karate Kid) was the voice of the Emperor.
3) Mulan was the first Disney animated movie to deal with warfare.
4) Mulan was the first Asian Disney princess.
5) It took 700 people to bring this film to the public.
The one constant in Mulan’s life is change. Decisions are made and then things happen and those decisions don’t work out. This happens time and time again, but Mulan never loses her strong spirit. We all have to deal with change and I think Mulan is a great princess to study.
5 ways to learn to deal with change from Mulan:
1) Embrace change. When change happens that is out of your control you can react in many different ways. Anger or dispair is okay for a little while, but the change is probably not going away. If you can find a way to embrace change and find the good in it than it makes dealing with the change much easier.
2) Change your attitude. Is the glass half full or half empty. Change happens all the time. Whether it is good or not depends on your point of view. Consider if you would deal with the change better if your viewpoint changed.
3) Go looking for change. The only thing constant is change. If that is true than change is always on your doorstep. Instead of waiting for it to knock why not go looking for it. That way you have more control over how the change affects you.
4) Get advice. Some change, like job changes or health issues, are too big to handle by yourself. Find someone you can talk to you can help you deal with the change. You don’t have to go it alone.
5) Find the happy ending. Not all change is bad, even if it looks like it at the time. If you look closely you may see that the change is actually changing your life for the good. One of my favorite lines from a song says, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”
Most people shy away from change, but it is happening every day whether we want it to or not. Why not use these ideas to make positive change in your life. Everyone deserves a happy ending. Happiness squared.
Goofy Tip: Would you like to meet Mulan? She can be found at the China Pavilion in Epcot. Mushu, her wise-cracking dragon, is sometimes there, too.
For great tips that you can take with you on your tablet or smart phone download the Kindle app and buy a copy of Goofy Tips for a Happy Disney Vacation