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What Disney’s Mulan Can Teach Us About Living Authentically
Many of us grew up watching Disney’s animated classic Mulan, captivated by her courage, inner conflict, and fight for identity. But for Jessica N., the message of Mulan was more than just cinematic—it mirrored her own journey of finding her True self through this meditation.
Jessica reflects on the powerful lyrics of “Reflection”, where Mulan questions the false image she’s forced to live by. This moment in the film speaks to the emotional struggle many face—trying to live up to society’s expectations while yearning to live as who they truly are inside.
Through her own meditation journey, Jessica found that the process of throwing away the “fake self” created by others’ standards is what allows one to live freely, truthfully, and powerfully, just like Mulan.
Her words inspire all of us to look into our own reflection and ask:
“Is this really who I am?”
💬 Essay: When You Find Your True Self – Reflections on Disney’s Mulan
By Jessica N.
When I first watched Disney’s animated film Mulan in 1998, I was so obsessed, I watched it more than 10 times! We all know the theme song performed by Christina Aguilera from the original soundtrack. If you listen to the lyrics of “Reflection”, the whole point of this movie is revealed in just a few touching lyrics:
“Reflection”
Look at me
I will never pass for a perfect bride
Or a perfect daughter
Can it be I’m not meant to play this part
Now I see
That if I were truly to be myself
I would break my family’s heart
Who is that girl I see
Staring straight, back at me
Why is my reflection someone I don’t know
Somehow I cannot hide
Who I am
Though I’ve tried
When will my reflection show who I am inside?
At the beginning of the film, Imperial China is in the midst of a war with the Northern Hun tribe, and a military draft requires each Chinese household to send one male soldier to the battlefield. Mulan, who is an only child, is not eligible to fight because she is a woman. Instead, she is expected to watch her frail father enlist while she is pressured to become a “good daughter” by marrying through a matchmaker.
When Mulan sings this heartfelt song, she is staring at her reflection in the water. She sings about wanting to cast away her false self and discover her true self, and this is exactly what we see her do later in the film. Courageously and selflessly, she disguises herself as a man and joins the army to protect her father.
Mulan does not see herself the way society sees her. Although she is physically weaker than her male counterparts, she reveals her true self as a brave warrior determined to protect both her family and her country. In the end, Mulan becomes the heroine who saves the entire nation through her creativity and courage — something even the strongest men were unable to accomplish.
Mulan could never have become a heroine if she had believed that men belonged on the battlefield while women belonged only in the home. So, are you living as your true self like Mulan, or are you living as a false self shaped by the expectations of society or your family? If you are not living as your true self, shouldn’t you begin searching for it right now?
Come discover your true self, become genuine, and live your true life!
