When You Believe in Something

I got back from Mexico safe and sound yesterday, and tomorrow I am off to Disney World with my family! A hectic two weeks, but fun none the less. After spending all last night doing laundry so I'd be prepared for our drive down to Providence today, it's safe to say I'm pretty exhausted. Excited to be going to Disney, not so excited my parents chose to fly us out of an airport that is five (yes, FIVE) hours away from home.

But, I can't really complain because I'm lucky enough to still be going on vacation with them at 20. It's likely to be one of my last family vacations for a long time (seeing as after next year I have to actually be a real grown up...), so I'm planning on cherishing the time I get to spend with my family in our favorite place! Yes, we may or may not call Disney World our home away from home. My brother insists he doesn't like Disney, but I think he secretly enjoys it! Not that he'll ever admit it...

Believe in your dreams, and someday, your rainbow will come smiling through.

In case you all haven't caught on by now, this post is centered around Disney. I'm the first to admit that my love for Disney is a borderline obsession. I definitely saw Frozen at least five times in theaters, and may or may not have had every word to "Let It Go" memorized within 24 hours after first seeing the film. Princess Anna is basically my hero, and yeah, the bottom line is I love Disney.

I don't love Disney because of the perfect world many of their movies depict, or the inevitable "happily ever after" that comes with the uplifting song at the end of each film. I love Disney because there is so much value in every lesson they fit into their 90 minute masterpieces. All the characters in their films tend to be outcasts, characters who dared to dream and fell because of it, but then picked themselves right back up. They do the same thing all of us "dreamers" (and don't roll your eyes, you're a dreamer too...) have to do in life.

I have a lot of dreams for different areas of my life. Some of the time I find myself thinking I'm a little off my rocker for thinking so out of the box or being too "imaginative." Believe me, I have a very active imagination, probably because I was brought up on Disney films. Nonetheless, I've found that the best people I know are those who might be a little "bonkers." I've also found them to be the most successful people I know. Coincidence? I think not.

I do think that all of us have to be a little "bonkers" to believe in our dreams, and in ourselves. It's extremely scary to believe in something completely and wholeheartedly. But eventually questioning yourself and your actions becomes so tiresome that you get to a point where you either have to let go of all you've ever wanted, or go after it full throttle.

I hope that you go full throttle. I hope that you find something you're so passionate about that you're willing to do anything to keep that dream alive. I hope that you believe in your dream and your potential so much so that there is no question about it. Be determined to do what you love, and be determined to create a life you love. It's those of us who dare to dream that make the real changes in the world, and it's those of us who follow our dreams that find out best where we're truly meant to be.

Disney has taught us so many lessons, and I'm not denying that it has it's faults (believe me, it does), but Disney has taught us what it means to believe. Life's all about believing in the things you care about-- the people you love, the life you live, and most importantly, yourself. I may be off to Disney tomorrow, but I'm in a Disney state of mind 99% of the time. And yes, I firmly believe we all should be.

Happy Monday!

xoxo