I got a bit nostalgic recently and watched a movie that I haven't seen in years: Disney's Enchanted (2007). For those of you who are not familiar with this movie, it takes the structure of your typical Disney fairytale and turns it on its head! It pokes fun at fairytale beliefs, and brings some reality into the mix. Characters are challenged to decide what they really want in life, outside of those fairytale ideals they've held onto. The movie ends with the song, Ever Ever After, performed by Carrie Underwood. What's most interesting about this song is it says so much more than the title suggests. To me, it's more about personal empowerment, self-love, and joy.
Sometimes you reach what's real just by making believe Unafraid, unashamed There is a joy to be claimed in this world You even might wind up being glad to be you
-Lyrics from Ever Ever After, performed by Carrie Underwood, written by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, 2007
These lyrics define the experience of embracing make-believe, without waiting for what "happily ever after" delivers, as most fairytales suggest. Make-believe is the ability to see what's around us through a fresh new lens of wonder and excitement, like stepping into a fairytale. It helps us get out of our heads and focus on the present moment. We are uncluttered, and separated from worrying about every detail. Then, with those high-vibration fairytale feels, we are able to "reach what's real" by experiencing more joy. We feel "unafraid" and "unashamed" because we are giving ourselves permission to simply be ourselves, and we start to believe in the impossible. That's when we truly claim the joy that is ours, and we radiate confidence and comfort in our own skin.
I discovered this amazing post from Uncover Your Joy Blog that dives into the benefits of embracing this sense of wonder:
Relationships are taken to a deeper level: With all our relationships, personal and professional, we can be more present in conversations, and far more engaged without worrying about what we're going to say next.
Experiencing a constant stream of joy: Embracing this youthful new way to frame our reality with wonder unleashes joy more than ever before because we're not confined to the same old routine, and much more joyful because of it.
A life of unlimited potential: When we focus on the present moment instead of being too many steps ahead, we are much more willing to unlock our unlimited potential. Anything is possible.
Please sign me up for all of the above! Who else is with me? When we are not stuck in our own thoughts, we are choosing to put that noise aside and instead embrace a young-at-heart mentality of wonder, "enchanted" by what's going on around us. The song from the movie goes on to say, "let yourself be enchanted, you just might break through to ever ever after." By bringing in those "happily ever after" make-believe fairytale vibes to the present, we are breaking through to unlimited potential. Being completely captivated by life allows us to be tapped into our endless possibilities, dreams, and passions. Pure magic at its finest!
So, my friends, I leave you with this: get out of your head, embrace the present moment more, and open the floodgates to more joy and unlimited potential. And maybe even make some room for manifestation, as mentioned in one of my earlier blogs, Good things are coming.
Shine on, for there's joy in make-believe!
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