5 Disney movies that will inspire viewers of every age to follow their dreams

Disney film to inspire you: Mulan

Mulan is an iconic animated film that proves that girls can do anything boys can do, and they possibly can do it better, but what does Mulan have to do with following your dreams or destiny?

From the beginning of the film, we see that Mulan had difficulty fitting into what was expected of women in her culture. She was clumsy, not poised – which is what prevented her from impressing the matchmaker. In one of the popular songs from the movie, “Reflection,” Mulan poses the question: “When will my reflection show who I am inside?”

When Mulan decided to take her father’s place in the army, she was challenged, and through this challenge she found herself. Her reflection started to match who she was inside. Her intelligence and strength helped her save China from the Huns. It’s important to note that it took a lot of work for Mulan to become a hero.

During the song “I’ll Make a Man out of You,”  Mulan and her fellow soldiers were having difficulty finishing the challenges Captain Li Shang threw at them.  Li Shang confronted Mulan saying, “You’re not suited for the rage of war. So pack up, go home, you’re through.” Realizing this could be the end caused her to find the strength within her, and she was able to complete one of the harder tasks: climbing up a tall pole to capture an arrow at the top while using weights to help her up.

Mulan teaches us that you might have to be challenged, leave your comfortable life, to find who you are. Mulan was even able to restore her family’s honor in the process. It was an unexpected way, but that made it more special. Life’s journey is unexpected, but if you are brave enough to take risks as Mulan did, it will be a fulfilling one.