What Frozen Taught Me about Love, Siblings, and Snowmen

The whole world has gone a little ice crazy over Frozen, another hit movie from Disney. It’s full of princesses, trolls, and appreciation for the bond between sisters.
Anna and Elsa are the sisters driven apart by Elsa’s magical powers. She’s like Midas, except she turns things to ice rather than gold. In fact, she plunged the whole kingdom of Arendelle into eternal winter. When Anna comes to Elsa’s rescue, it proves the power of love. Consider these lessons from Anna, Elsa, and their friends.
Lessons on Love and Sibling-Hood from Frozen
1. Face your feelings. Anna and Elsa’s parents meant well, but they started trouble when they urged Elsa to hide her powers and stop feeling. The first step in managing your emotions is to examine them.
2. Talk about conflicts. Anna felt hurt when her parents removed Elsa from her life with no explanation. Relationships thrive on direct communication.
3. Let go of fears. When Elsa accepts herself, she starts to feel free even while she’s still deep in permafrost. Tackling challenges head on helps us to conquer anxiety. Our actions teach us that we’re strong enough to survive and flourish.
4. Reveal your secrets. Keeping secrets uses up a lot of energy, and makes you feel uneasy. Practice disclosing information as appropriate to create more intimacy and peace of mind.
5. Surround yourself with family and friends. After years of isolation, Anna winds up being a little too excited about Elsa’s coronation. Build time in your schedule for connecting with your loved ones on a regular basis.
6. Pace your relationships. Loneliness also caused Anna to become engaged on the same day she met a flashy prince. Taking a gradual approach will make your romances more stable.
7. Consult a love expert. Arendelle is blessed with a giant supply of wise and helpful trolls. Think about whom you can turn to when you need encouragement and advice. Role models help us spot the skills we want to work on.
8. Appreciate fixer-uppers. As the trolls point out, we are all fixer-uppers. Give yourself and others the chance to change and grow.
9. Rely on acts of true love. When we put the needs of others first, we can overcome any setback. Maybe you’ll need to battle an evil prince trying to usurp the throne, or just stay up an hour late to comfort a friend going through a recent breakup.
10. Look on the bright side. Turn adversity around. In the end, Elsa learns to use her powers for good. Rather than freezing people, she creates ice sculptures and skating rinks.
Lessons from Olaf the Snowman
1. Hug your friends. Judging from most reviews, Olaf the Snowman is the character that people love most. He wants everyone to know that he’s a big fan of warm hugs and funny songs. A cheerful attitude will draw people to you too.
2. Express gratitude for any gift. Olaf is delighted when Anna makes him a small nose. He’s equally happy when his nose is made longer. He doesn’t even mind when Sven the reindeer wants to take a bite. If you look for something to like in any situation, you’ll find a way to be content.
3. Take risks. Olaf raves about summer, even though he’s unsure what it means. While everyone else thinks that he would melt, Olaf manages to enjoy the sun because he dares to go after what he wants.
Develop the courage of Anna and the optimism of Olaf. Instead of giving someone the cold shoulder, warm up your heart and relationships with true love.