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All Hail the Queen of Letting It Go

Elsa's journey can be a testament for all of us.

By Jillian SpiridonPublished 3 years ago 13 min read
Top Story - May 2021
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When Disney's Frozen first took the world by storm in 2013, everyone was keen on examining the deuteragonist Elsa in a variety of ways. Was she a secret LGBTQ symbol? Was her iconic song "Let It Go" just a way to express the mechanisms of anxiety and depression? The ramping up of these discussions only grew with the release of Frozen II in November 2019.

As someone who's struggled with mental health concerns for a long time, I gravitated toward Elsa as a character because she felt real in all the right ways. Her journey of self-actualization paired with her growing needs to understand herself and her capabilities made her a compelling character to watch in both Frozen films. What can someone riddled with doubt, anxiety, and even depression take away from a character like Elsa? Well, here are a few things that come to my mind when I think of Queen Elsa of Arendelle.

Taking the Helm of Your Life

When Frozen first opens, Elsa is the poster child of the "perfect daughter" striving to make everyone else—especially the adults in her life—happy with her and her decisions. Her entire character arc in its beginning stages hones in on how she is making sure everyone around her is safe from her powers. This self-suppression succeeds in doing only one thing: making Elsa more anxious about the "secret" she is hiding from other people. One wrong move, and everything will fall apart.

Added on top of that, Elsa is also becoming queen of a small kingdom. Not only does she have her sister to worry about, but she also has a population of citizens depending on her rule and care. Pressure much?

But, despite her fears, Elsa continues to tread forward and do what must be done—even if that means she has to hide her real self away in the process. While this kind of move could be seen as self-sabotage in some instances, Elsa proves that you can still make decisions—even momentous, life-changing ones—even if you feel fear eating you up inside. Sometimes we face situations that make us wonder, "How can I ever get through this?"—but we live through them. We strive. We do what we have to when it comes to survival, for both ourselves and others.

What else does Elsa's character arc show us about a journey with pressure coming from all sides?

Realizing You're Capable of More Than You Thought

Everyone who hears Elsa's anthem "Let It Go" views it as a triumphant song of owning who you are and shrugging off the expectations of society. Great! But the song also takes place against the backdrop of Elsa constructing an ice castle from the ground up in only moments. We see Elsa play with her powers with a vigor and excitement that shows she really had no idea she could do so much with her abilities.

What does that say about the rest of us, especially those of us who have self-esteem issues that muddle our expectations of ourselves? It means that we may not be viewing ourselves clearly. If you have trouble listing out the positive aspects of yourself, then you're probably suffering from a distorted view of who you are and what you can do.

The best remedy? You have to go out and test yourself. Make it a discovery mission to see what you can achieve and what you can't. Is it scary? Hell yeah. But you can't stay locked away in a tower—or an ice castle—as the world continues moving outside without you.

Elsa may have fled a kingdom out of fear, but that decision also spurred her on to greater discoveries along the way. Sure, it required a lot of learning—both about herself and others—but whose journey isn't filled with hiccups along the way? You only fail if you don't try at all.

What else does Elsa's story highlight?

Finding the Will to "Let It Go"—All of It

"Let It Go" became iconic for a reason: everyone who hears it can relate to it on some level. It's a power ballad, no argument there, because the lyrics go from a place of fear and uncertainty to a realm of assertion and freedom. We literally watch as Elsa begins to shed her old self, complete with a self-powered makeover, as she belts out her newfound assertiveness over her destiny.

Let it go, let it go

And I'll rise like the break of dawn

Let it go, let it go

That perfect girl is gone

Here I stand in the light of day

Let the storm rage on

The cold never bothered me anyway

Though one could argue (and have a point) that at this beat in the story Elsa is still "running away" from the world around her, this aspect of her character journey is all too real. It's not uncommon for us to retreat away from the world when we feel we are trying to protect ourselves. In the realm of trauma and healing, this is a common step—even more so if anxiety is added on top of it all.

But I would say that Elsa is still taking an important step forward here: she is shirking the expectations and misconceptions about herself that others have constructed about her. All too often we look to other people as our mirrors as a way to see ourselves "clearly"—even though we are then basing our own realities off of what may actually be bent perspectives. People can be toxic to one another.

For example, the best friend you've known since childhood can reinforce your damaged view of yourself by putting down every opinion you spout. Not every person will be there to lift you up. Sometimes there are moments when you need to "let it go" in regards to what other people say or think about you. And in the process you'll hopefully have a better understanding of who you really are beyond the scope of an outer lens.

What else can we learn from Elsa's journey of discovery?

Realizing There's Hope for Tomorrow

At the end of "Let It Go," it's a beautiful moment when Elsa comes out of her ice castle to welcome the "new dawn" for herself. One still moment, and there's so much that can be said and construed. Here is where Elsa attains a glimmer of that oft-chased-after notion known as hope.

Even though we don't always have such obvious thematic moments of clarity for ourselves in our day-to-day lives, there are always signs that you are heading down a good path for yourself. Maybe a coworker notices you and says you look happier that day. Maybe a friend compliments you on something you're wearing. Or maybe you just wake up in bed one morning and don't dread getting up to start your day. The change can be miniscule, barely even noticeable at first, but each moment can be a guidepost of sorts.

Sometimes the little things are what matter. You don't need a background musical accompaniment to make you feel like you're owning a part of your life. One day you just may look back and think, "Wow. I haven't felt depressed or anxious in a while." How do I know? I've been there.

There are going to be tough times—some days when you don't even think you will be able to appreciate just the sun warming your face—but not every day will be like that. You may just have to play the waiting game with yourself in the process. Will it suck? Yes. But you'll get through it. (I believe in you.)

Where else does Elsa fit in regards to the spectrum of anxiety and depression?

Grappling with the Uncertainty of the Future

Not even Elsa can avoid regression. "Let It Go" may have been a powerful moment, but Frozen does not shy away from showing that gaining ground can still mean there are backslides in the future.

Elsa's big backslide comes when her sister Anna finds her ice castle and tries to urge her to come back home. Panicked by the knowledge that her powers have left Arendelle under a winter's spell in the height of summer, Elsa lashes out at her sister and harms her. And from there Elsa's anxiety only spikes to the nth degree (which involves the quick construction of a snow monster to drive off anyone trying to take Elsa back to Arendelle). How does she cope? Not well. Her fears are still very much a concern.

Though Elsa's mistakes are eventually rectified by the end of Frozen, her uncertainty only grows more significant in the film's sequel. A mysterious voice calls her to go beyond her kingdom and search for the source of the call. Elsa is happy with the family she's formed for herself, but there is still a longing to find out more about herself, her powers, and the truth of it all.

How do these things fit into a narrative that could appeal to someone struggling? Well—basically, the journey's never really over. You will face challenges. You will have to face the unknown of the future. You will never be absolutely sure about anything you choose to do.

You have to live with spikes of fear and anxiety. There's no magic cure-all where all the worries disappear entirely. Even Elsa can't wave her hand and make everything perfect. You will make mistakes, and you will be afraid at times—but so does everyone else.

The journey's just getting started. Let's talk about how you can potentially relate to Elsa's journey in Frozen II. What can you hope to accomplish?

Finding Yourself in a Wondrous Way

There are always new ways to discover more about yourself—and the world around you. Elsa's realization of this comes through the song "Into the Unknown" in a big, big way as she hears a siren's call from afar and her own magic begins to dance around her. While there is trepidation, Elsa also finds herself intrigued by this new happenstance.

The beauty of life is, ultimately, finding yourself in some form or fashion. While it does take time and effort, there can be great catharsis in the actual process. You may need to experiment and go through trial and error, but discovering what makes you "you" will probably be a lifelong journey. There are no shortcuts. And everyone else? They're doing the same thing you are, no matter how much it may seem the contrary.

Though you may be downtrodden at your progress, you have to realize that every day should be a new scoreboard. You may have stumbled yesterday and made some mistakes, but this morning? It's a whole new game to play. Don't beat yourself up.

Remember: Elsa had to go through two whole movies before she recognized all her own strengths and capabilities. And it took the writers who created her almost a whole decade to come up with her character arc across those two films. So...these things take time.

How about something else Elsa exhibits in Frozen II that you may find relatable?

Honing Your Talents and Finding Inner Strength

Elsa is a powerhouse in Frozen II. The meek queen whose magic fluttered and swirled in the first movie is gone, replaced by someone who knows she's quite capable of unleashing storms and fury, thank you very much. And she's not afraid to use that magic to protect herself and those she loves.

While none of us are gifted with such things (that we know of), we all have our special quirks and talents. No one is "empty" in that regard. We are all good at something, even if it takes some time to discover what that "something" actually is. Practicing does not make perfect, but practice does yield a lot of returns in telling us where we should go from here with our pursuits in life.

Even with a heavy burden of fear or anxiety, you can make your mark on this world in ways only you can. Don't be afraid to think outside the box. Embrace your differences. Try new things and don't apologize for making a few mistakes (that will seem small in retrospect anyway in the grand scheme of your life).

And your inner self? Be kind to it too. You may not feel you have support around you, but you will always have yourself in the driver's seat. Learn to appreciate what makes you strong in your own way. You can be your own worst enemy some days, but you can be your greatest supporter at the other end of the spectrum too.

Where, like Elsa, do we all hope we wind up in the end?

Finding Self-Acceptance

Elsa's character arc culminates in the inspiring song (which I have included below), "Show Yourself," that showcases how far she has come from the scared girl huddling in on herself at the beginning of the first Frozen movie. It is a beautiful, inspiring thing.

Even if you're unfamiliar with Frozen and Elsa as a character, I think you would be able to appreciate how this character has doubted herself in the past but has come to the realization that she is—and always has been—the one she's been waiting for. Not a prince, not a savior, not a love interest. She has seen herself clearly for the first time.

What hope does that hold for the rest of us? We too can reach the point where we can see ourselves for who we really are. We may not be perfect, but we are creatures who learn and adapt and try to thrive regardless. What makes us human is the empathy we have for others—and for ourselves. We must be kind to the vulnerable people we actually are inside.

Being hard on yourself won't solve your problems. It will likely only be a trigger for more anxiety and more doubt. A healthy mindset is one where you can make mistakes yet at the same time be able to forgive yourself for them too.

Self-acceptance is really just being able to show yourself the unconditional love you try to give others. And isn't that a wonderful thing?

Oh, and I do have to mention...

Having Support from Friends & Family Is Nice Too

You can't do this all alone. Every great success story has a support system behind it. While you may think you can make a go of everything by yourself, there are times when you will need to fall back on the strength of other people. I know. It's hard to ask for help. It's hard to be vulnerable. But one moment of perceived weakness can end up making the difference between a devastation and a minor fall.

No one is a mountain. We have each other to try and hold ourselves up. Never forget that. And don't be afraid to reach out if you need a boost.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States. This article and others can help educate in an approachable way the hurdles and struggles of mental illness. For more information, you can also visit the official site of NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) here.

All images in this article are courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures and Walt Disney Animation Studios.

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About the Creator

Jillian Spiridon

just another writer with too many cats

twitter: @jillianspiridon

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