I am a big Disney fan, and a lot of the movies from my childhood have a multifaceted twist to them. One of my favorites, especially thanks to the original masterpiece by which it's inspired, is Alice in Wonderland.
I'm someone who never really fit in a box and for as long as I can remember, I've been fascinated by Alice's wondrous adventures. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the book's publication, and there's been lots of buzz around it.
Why do we love this story? There's so much to explore!
The book is full of life lessons and analogies, from which more than one critic has extrapolated throughout the century. This is just an attempt to apply the three key lessons that can effectively help us all shift our perceptions in everyday life. Will you go down the rabbit hole with me?
1. Shift your focus.
After Alice goes tumbling down the rabbit hole, she exclaims, "After this I should think nothing of falling down stairs!” Most of us would focus on the fact we just had a rather unpleasant ride down a rabbit hole, but not Alice.
She decides to focus on the positive when she considers this rather uncomfortable experience. She uses her optimism to shed a more positive light on something that might ordinarily be quite unnerving. Let's follow her and use our own body and mind to focus on what serves us, rather than what limits us. This is the best skill set we can ever use on a daily basis.
2. Walk the talk.
There is a really sad scene in the movie in which Alice says: “I give myself very good advice; but I very seldom follow it.” Sometimes it’s hard to walk our talk, and even Alice knows that. She’s been in a lot of trouble since landing in Wonderland, however, Alice recognizes her awareness is an important tool.
3. Think before you speak.
At one point in the movie, the March Hare interrupts Alice during an animated conversation. He interjects by saying: "If you don't think, you shouldn't talk!" It’s one of those old sayings we all know and have probably been reminded of; however, it's so rare that we follow it.
Just like walking the talk, remembering to think before we speak helps us to take the time to really consider our next step, and make sure we interact with people in the most respectful way. People may not remember you or what you said, but they will definitely remember how you made them feel.
While you may not be navigating a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatures or playing croquet with flamingo mallets and a psychopathic queen, we can all still take some pages from Alice's book.