20 Lessons From Disney Princesses (That Don't Relate To Boys!)

There's so much more to our favorite princesses than pretty dresses and romance!

Disney sometimes gets a bad rep for telling and retelling the story of a girl whose life changes when she falls in love with a boy. Although this may be the main plot line of most Disney princess movies, there is certainly more to their stories than that!

Frozen received a lot of attention for being a strong feminist movie, but it's not the only one. Thinking about all of the Disney princesses, old and new, made me realized that these movies have a lot of lessons in them—yes, even the Disney classics. Do they all have "strong female characters"? Not necessarily, but a close look shows that there's more to the Disney Classics than romantic fluff.

To prove it, here's a list of twenty things that the Disney Princesses have taught us that have nothing to do with romance or boys:

1. From Beauty and the Beast: It’s cool to read!

2. From Mulan: Girls can kick butt too.

3. From Brave: You control your own destiny.

4. From Snow White: Possessing inner beauty is more important than pursuing everlasting outer beauty.

5. From Frozen: True love comes in many forms.

6. From Tangled: Stand up to those who want to keep you down.

7. From Aladdin: Take risks!

8. From The Princess and the Frog: Hard work and determination pay off.

9. From Tangled: Selflessness is a virtue.

10. From Pocahontas: Live your life with passion.

11. From Cinderella: Patience and kindness will be rewarded.

12. From The Little Mermaid: Curiosity leads to great adventures!

13. From Beauty and the Beast: Never judge a book by its cover.

14. From Snow White: Find the silver lining in every situation!

15. From Frozen: It’s perfectly okay to want to be alone sometimes, but don’t be afraid to reach out to others in times of need.

16. From The Little Mermaid: A goal that requires you to give up a key part of yourself may not be worth it.

17. From Aladdin: Don’t be afraid to explore the world and open your eyes to new experiences.

18. From Sleeping Beauty: Sing and dance whenever you please!

19. From Beauty and the Beast: Being different is good.

20. And finally, from all the Disney Princesses: Chase your dreams!