4 Lessons On Change from Disney’s Moana

I FINALLY watched Disney’s Moana recently. I’m not sure how I have managed to go this long without seeing it given my love of all things animated musical related. Nevertheless, I believe the timing was perfect for me.

I loved everything about this movie and as it ended, this was the question that came to mind for me:

Can you remember who you were before fear told you who you are?

I invite you to consider your answer to that question.

I could write sooo much about this movie but for now, I’ll share 4 lessons I believe Moana teaches on dealing with change.

Fear holds you back

Moana’s people were voyagers; this was their destiny. But as ships started “not coming back”, they became fearful. They put their ships in a cave and built a wall to keep them hidden.

Moana’s father was drawn to the sea; it was in his blood after all. But after he experienced the loss of a friend and the fierceness of the ocean, he vowed to never leave the safety of his island again.

Fear is a powerful emotion that can hold you back. If you are not careful, fear will rob you of your destiny. It will cause you to run from the path you are meant to travel. You may find comfort staying where you are but you may also be living a life less than the one you were born to live.

Follow the voice within

From a young age, Moana felt the call of the sea but her father’s fear was a constant barrier for her (see above). He tries desperately to get her to follow the life path he has determined is right for her.

He points out that her family needs her, her tribe needs her, and everything she needs is on the island. There is no need for her to ever leave the island because “happiness is where you are.”

But Moana’s grandmother distils a wonderful piece of wisdom to her young granddaughter. She tells her, “you may hear a voice inside, and if the voice starts to whisper to follow the farthest star…that voice inside is who you are.”

Society trains you to look outside yourself for the truth of who you are. But, as I have said many times, your sense of self can never be found outside of you. It is always within. Your truth resides within you and if you can quiet the noise of other people’s expectations, you can access that truth.

When you follow that voice within, it might take you on an unexpected journey. A journey that may leave scars but those scars will heal and they will reveal more of who you are. As Moana learned “the call is not out there at all, it’s inside me…come what may I know the way.”

You MUST face your fear

The scene at the end between Moana and the lava demon Te Ka is probably my favorite of the whole movie. It perfectly portrays something I tell my clients all the time. The thing you fear is the thing you MUST face because behind that fear is the truth.

Moana spent a portion of the movie running from Te Ka. It was an angry creature throwing fireballs at her trying to keep her from her mission. At first, she ran away from it and then she took the “let’s just outsmart it” approach.

Eventually, she realized that to accomplish her goal she had to face Te Ka. She had to turn TOWARDS the thing she was running from in order to see the truth of what was really going on.

You can’t outrun or out-maneuver your fear. You have to look your fear in the eye. It will be scary and you may even feel overwhelmed at first. But when you look at your fear, instead of running from it, you discover the truth of what’s really going on with you.

The surface level story that fear is presenting to you is never the real story. Face your fear, uncover the truth and, in the process, you’ll find freedom.

Power in Being Seen

There is so much power in being seen for who you truly are by those around you.

Moana was seen by her grandmother who recognized her granddaughter’s pull to the ocean. She was also seen by the ocean who chose her for this journey.

But it is Moana’s witnessing of Te Ka that was the most powerful moment of the movie in my opinion. Moana looks directly at Te Ka and says these words, “…this is not who you are, you know who you are.” (cue the tears)

Being seen births both courage and the belief that you are capable of more than you ever thought possible. Who in your life is witnessing back to you the greatness in you? I encourage you to find those people and keep them close.

Daring to change in the face of unrelenting forces determined to hold you back is not easy. But this movie is a wonderful reminder of what becomes possible when you embrace that courage and follow the voice of truth inside you.

Here’s to you finding your brave and rising into your greatness

From my heart to yours,

P.S: If you’re ready to find your brave but don’t know how to begin, let’s talk. Click here to schedule a complimentary call with me. On this call we will look at what it is you want for yourself, how your fear has been holding you back and what it will take to get you from where you are to where you want to be. Schedule your FREE call today.