As a month of Gratitude, November brings Thanksgiving, holiday planning, time with family, and hopes for a better year ahead. Truthfully, it’s one of our favorite times of the year. Never mind the stresses of gift buying, menu planning, and end-of-year reflection, gratitude is still what this month is all about. As a result, we thought we’d dig up some of the best Disney Gratitude Quotes. With some from Walt Disney himself and others from beloved Disney films, all have the power to change your perception. Because when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. Here are our favorite inspirational Disney quotes about gratitude to help shift your focus away from the crazy and back toward grateful empowerment.
The more you are in a state of gratitude the more you will attract things to be grateful for. – Walt Disney
From Walt Disney himself, this quote on gratitude nails it. Surely experienced firsthand by Walt Disney himself many times, a reminder that the law of attraction is always in play is a great reason to practice more gratitude. Feeling appreciation for those around you- whether it be family, friends, the person who delivers your groceries, or the person who made your coffee- always comes back to you tenfold. Think about that. Gratitude attracts more things to be grateful for. How grateful do you feel to have a job that you’re paid for, or a car that runs, or a dog that makes you happy? Find things in your life to be grateful for and more things to be grateful for will come your way.
I only hope that we don’t lose sight of one thing that it was all started by a mouse- Walt Disney
As one of Walt Disney’s best-known quotes, this statement is about so much more than Mickey Mouse! It’s about starting…and starting small. Take the dream, the idea, and go from there. While Walt Disney surely wanted the legacy of Mickey Mouse to live on, this sentiment is more about remembering where you came from. Appreciating those struggles and that journey to go from a cartoon mouse to a worldwide entertainment company. To realize it started with a dream, some action, support from others, and the faith to keep trying. Walt and Roy experienced numerous personal and professional setbacks in their journey from Marceline to Hollywood. Remembering that everyone has a starting point and being grateful for that allows more opportunities. Just start, and believe.
The more you like yourself the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique- Walt Disney
A necessary ingredient in almost all of the Disney Gratitude Quotes shared here is self-love. While self-love is a daily practice, it is a struggle for many. Appreciating who you are is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. Walt Disney always looked to others to bring unique sets of talents to the table. Whether in animation, storytelling, song, or leadership, all people had a place at the table. Many of the strongest personalities, Tim Burton, the Sherman brothers, and Julie Andrews all brought the best versions of themselves into their work. It wasn’t their ability to be like everyone else that found them successful, it was their uniqueness. Get to know yourself and be grateful for that person.
All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles, and obstacles have strengthened me. You may not realize it when it happens but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you. – Walt Disney
Gratitude can be more difficult amidst setbacks, but it is usually in those moments that you need it the most. Troubles and obstacles do strengthen you, as Walt Disney says. Lessons and mistakes are often needed before you can move forward. Take moments of trial and tribulation and find the thing to be grateful for.
When the raindrops come tumbling, remember you’re the one who can fill the world with sunshine. – Snow White
Self-empowerment is another element of many of the Disney Gratitude Quotes that litter Disney films. After all, it’s important to remember that you always have gratitude as a tool. The world will always have turmoil and grief and rain. But you don’t have to let those things (or anything external) negatively affect your vibration. There is always something to be grateful for. Be grateful that you can choose a positive mindset and bring something hopeful to the experience.
Even miracles take a little time. – Fairy Godmother
This essential Disney Life Lessons Quote from Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother is just as much about faith as it is about gratitude. Feeling grateful about where you are is powerful. If you’re hoping for something new or something better, remember that even miracles take a little time. Take that time to practice gratitude and your miracle will show up before you know it.
The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it. Rafiki – The Lion King
Another testament that difficult times can beget gratitude when you most need it is this quote from Rafiki. Simba in the Lion King only gets to where he needs to be once, he accepts his place and his role. Being grateful for what you have, instead of what you don’t.
The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all. Mulan – The Emperor
From the Emperor in Mulan comes this beautiful quote about how adversity creates beauty. It’s always difficult to see at the moment. Always. Struggles, trials, and tribulations color segments of our lives, and being able to see these as learning moments, moments of faith, and opportunities for gratitude helps us move forward and move on to fulfilling our life purpose.
You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. Christopher Robin – Winnie the Pooh
Gratitude for the complete person you are and the person you are becoming can be difficult. Especially when you’re faced daily, almost in each moment, with people who are “better” than you, “have” more than you are “smarter”, “stronger”, and “braver” than you. But when you remember that we are all on our own paths and taking our own journeys you can cut your soul some slack. Because it’s not your brain’s journey, it’s your inner self-learning and discovering and processing. And that is a feeling journey, not a thinking one. You are always braver, stronger, and smarter than you can fathom. Be grateful for who you are and who you are becoming. When you listen to that person, the path is always clear.
Always let your conscience be your guide- Jiminy Cricket – Pinocchio
Gosh, I love this Disney Gratitude Quote. How often do you trust yourself? How often do you believe you are making your best decisions? For many, probably not enough. With hundreds of day-to-day temptations pulling, you away from what you know best, it’s easy to make the wrong choices. If you’re someone who believes in regret, then take this opportunity to detox your thoughts. Your inner self is your best self, and when nurtured and cared for, always offers you your best decisions. When stressed, frustrated, and looking for things to cure emotional gaps, your conscience becomes compromised. Maybe it’s time to read through the best Disney Cinematherapy Films for all life’s problems. Your conscience always knows what’s best, be sure to take care of it, and always let your conscience be your guide.
The very things that hold you down are going to lift you up. Timothy Mouse – Dumbo
What is holding you down? Chances are you believe it’s something about you that other people don’t have to deal with. A flaw, if you will. What if you chose to be grateful for this instead? What would that look like? How can it be a beacon for others? It is often these flaws that make us who we are. Unique, different, beautiful. We aren’t meant to be the same. And taking ownership of the things that are uniquely you make you more yourself. More of what the people around you, and the world need. If you’re struggling through something, it’s because your journey is to conquer that- and chances are you will learn more life lessons as a result of it. Take a page from Dumbo, and believe in the magic feather, believe in your journey.
How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. Pooh – Winnie the Pooh
This Disney Gratitude Quote is all about appreciation for the elements in your life that come and go. Everything is temporary but rarely do we look at the present and think “this is the good old days. I should appreciate this experience.” The people we have in our lives now will change and grow, and we may move away, change jobs, and inevitably lose them at some point. Appreciation for what you have now- whether it’s people, a certain lifestyle, a pet, opportunities, or just decent day-to-day living- warrants gratitude. Because at one point it will all change, and loving things at the moment, make it all sting a little less.
The things that make me different. Are the things that make me, me. -Winnie the Pooh
As one of our favorite people/ bears on the planet, Winnie the Pooh is filled with profound Disney Life Lessons. This quote is about personal acceptance and appreciation for who you are. Self-Love at its best. Not only accepting who you are but realizing that it is where your true power lies. For Pooh Bear, a penchant for Hunny, an understanding of friendship and a ho-hum lifestyle may not seem like a big deal to more success-driven people. But Winnie the pooh brings the best qualities of humanity to light. Appreciation and joy for what he has, gratitude for the people/ animals in his life, and an easy attitude that doesn’t try to control the life he is given. The Tao of Pooh and A Walk in the Wood: Meditations on Mindfulness with a bear named Pooh are both wonderful books if you need to remember how to relax.
The Seaweed is always greener, in somebody else’s lake- Sebastian, The Little Mermaid
How true is this Disney quote! While the grass is NOT always greener on the other side, we do love staring at it and wishing it was our own. This Disney Gratitude quote from Sebastian may just be a tactic to keep Ariel from going ashore, but in real life, it’s a powerful reminder. For any change involving greener grass, or seaweed, you must leave behind what you have and who you are to be something else. As a result, you inadvertently give away your power without knowing it.
Did you really want that promotion, and all the extra work that comes with it? Just to come to realize that having that mansion may involve not being around for the important people in your life? And did working for yourself seem like a good idea until you realized you’re terrible at work/life balance and now work all the time? Everyone is on their own journey and own path. For everyone, the grass is greenest where you water it. And thankfully, YOU get to choose where you water it. You can have whatever you want in your life, without comparing yourself to others. If you find yourself staring at your neighbor’s lawn wondering why it’s so much “better” than yours here are a few things to remember. You can give up family dinners or tv time to mow that lawn more. Or miss out on family vacations because you want the higher mortgage and need to work more. Or not.
You get to choose what’s most important to you and when. Be mindful about what areas of your life need to be watered and focus on that. There will always be parts of your lawn that are neglected, and when compared to other lawns may appear less green. But nothing in nature blooms all year long. And as part of nature, you shouldn’t expect yourself to either.
Don’t stress over anything that you can’t change. – Walt Disney
By far one of the most powerful Disney Gratitude Quotes on this page. Don’t stress over anything that you can’t change. This comes from another quote. “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Walt Disney had a lot of adversity in his life. Family issues, business failures, and massive burnout from extraordinary amounts of stress and work. But somehow, he still managed to surround himself with the people he needed to help him get the job done. Where are you stressed?
Remember that you, and you alone, have full ownership of your thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. Be mindful about what stresses you allow in your life. You can’t change other people, their behaviors, actions or words. You can’t change the weather, the economy or that other people are more successful than you. Be grateful that you have control over yourself alone. Concentrate on just yourself- your feelings, your reactions, your work, your health, your goals. Don’t stress over anything else. You can’t change those things anyway. And it takes valuable energy away from the things you can.
Disney Gratitude Quotes to Support Life Lessons
Hopefully, this lineup of Disney Quotes on Gratitude has helped you stop and think about what can be done to make your life better and more enjoyable. While we wrote these up as a way to share some Disney Thanksgiving love, the Disney life lessons here are important year-round. And especially on the cusp of a new year, or a birthday, or any time you are ready to start a new chapter in your life. Check out all our Disney Quotes for a roundup of life lessons and reminders, for wherever you are.
Rochelle Mariah is a writer, designer and photographer with an MLIS in Information Science and a B.S. in Arch and Design. Determined to make Planning a DIY Disney Vacation easier she makes lots of lists and drinks lots of coffee. When not designing apparel at Polka Dot Pixie Shop, she's watching old movies and planning the holidays. She has been traveling to Disney destinations since 2010.
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