Walt Disney’s favorite heroine was Cinderella, and it’s easy to see why. She starts out with nothing, but never loses hope that her life will get better. And when she finally achieves her dreams, she doesn’t do it alone; her friends support her every step of the way. This Disney classic is full of life lessons we can all use, even if we aren’t friends with talking mice or lucky enough to have a fairy godmother.

never lose hope.

Even in her darkest moments, Cinderella never lost hope. After all, as her fairy godmother reminds her: “If you’d lost all your faith, I couldn’t be here. And here I am.”

stay true to your word.

If you make a promise, keep it. When Prince Charming says he’ll hunt down every woman in the kingdom until he finds the owner of the magical glass slipper, the Grand Duke doubts his resolve. But the king says, “he’s given his word, and we’ll hold him to it.” Your word becomes your reputation, and Prince Charming stayed true to his.

take chances.

Cinderella knew the odds of the prince ever noticing her were very, very slim. But you know what? She went to the ball anyway, determined to have one night of fun. She took a humongous chance, and it paid off in spades. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and take chances; you never know what could happen.

have courage, and be kind.

This became the official Cinderella tagline with the 2015 movie, but it’s been true to Cinderella’s character since the beginning. No matter what you suffer in life, never let it make you cruel or despondent. In all things, have courage, and be kind, even to those who least deserve it.