Disney Magical Mindset Podcast

Disneyland Turns 71: The Life Lesson I Needed Most

• Ruben R. Rios • Episode 76

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Disneyland is celebrating 71 years of magic, and it reminded me of a lesson I think we all need.

In this episode of the Disney Magical Mindset Podcast, I reflect on a quote often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: "Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall enjoy everything." Together, we'll explore how unmet expectations can quietly steal our joy, and why gratitude, not entitlement, is the key to experiencing more magic in everyday life. 

Whether you're a creator, dreamer, or simply navigating life's ups and downs, this episode is an invitation to dream boldly, hold your expectations loosely, and discover the magic that's already surrounding you.

Because the magic isn't only found where you're going, it's also found where you are.

Helping you reimagine what's possible and step into it! 

Welcome Back And Travel Reflections

Ruben

Hey friends, welcome back to the Disney Magical Mindset Podcast. My name is Ruben, and it's so good to be back. I missed y'all. It's been about a month since our last episode. I know it seems like it's forever. I've been traveling with my family through Hawaii and Japan, making magical memories that I will never ever forget. Best time ever visiting Tokyo Disney for the first time. So cool. Exploring new places and simply being present with the people I love. You know, sometimes stepping away reminds you why you started. And it was so good. Like I love doing what I do. I love sharing the magic. I love these podcast episodes. I love being in Disney. I love sharing content, but being able to pull away and just take a breather, like to relax and rest. It was so good for the soul. And I'm so grateful.

Disneyland’s Birthday And Perspective

Ruben

So today uh feels like the perfect day to come back because this week Disneyland celebrates its 71st birthday. That's right. 71 years. Think about how many millions of people have walked through those gates, how many dreams have started there, how many families have made beautiful traditions there, how many children have laughed and cried, believed, and discovered a little more wonder. But here's what's fascinating. This is fascinating. I don't think the greatest gift Disneyland has given us over the last 71 years has been attractions. Hang in there with me. I know. And there's some amazing attractions. My favorite attraction in Disneyland is Peter Pan's Flight. So you know those attractions are good. They're amazing. I love them. But I think one of the greatest gifts Disneyland has given us is perspective. I know it doesn't really stand out, does it? Because you can make a list of the great things that Disneyland has given us over the years, and there is a lot. But I I want us to think about that power of perspective that Disneyland gives us. Um, because it has a funny way of reminding us that the best moments in life usually aren't the ones we plan. Isn't that right? Some of the best moments, like when you step into Disneyland or any Disney park. And sometimes you don't have plans, but you just you go with it. And I'm not saying that you should go to Disneyland without a plan or Walt Disney World, right? I I mean I go to I go to Disneyland regularly, so I don't have plans, but if I'm at Walt Disney World or uh like we just got back from Tokyo Disney, there's some plans. You you you want to have at least some kind of idea of what you're doing, especially if you're, you know, uh there just visiting. But I'm saying all that to say that some of the best moments are the unplanned moments. And and those are the ones that we kind of remember, right? Um, they're the ones that we're present enough to receive. We were present enough to receive. So let's learn about the magical power of perspective. Are you ready? Come on, let's do this, cuz here we go.

Dreams Versus Expectations

Ruben

There was a quote that I came across uh a few weeks ago, and I've been thinking about it for some time since I read it, and it's often attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi. And here's here's the quote Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall enjoy everything. You know, at first, I I don't know if I really liked it at first. I was like, hmm. I mean, it almost sounded like, well, am I supposed to give up on dreams? You know, it sounds like that, right? And you know, us and dreaming and and Disney and dreaming, that's like part of the magic that we embrace and we love. But the more I sat with it, the more I realized it's actually one of the most freeing and powerful ideas that I think we can embrace. I mean, again, we're talking about the power of perspective. And I want to talk specifically about that because once you allow this to unlock like your mind and heart, I'm telling you, it's so freeing. And I want you to come away from this uh time today with this sense of freedom, like and and just feeling that in your mind and your heart and your soul today, okay? Because that's what that's what I want, I want you to feel at the end of this. And I know that as dreamers, we're we're taught to dream big. That's part of why I do what I do. And and you have heard me share a lot about dreaming big. It's important, and I believe that with all my heart. I mean, that's why I'm doing the things that I'm doing now, because I've been dreaming big. So I hope you never stop dreaming. And I certainly haven't, but somewhere along the way, dreams can quietly become expectations. They can become expectations, and expectations then become demands. So you start saying things or or see if if this resonates with you. Um, I deserve more followers. I should have gotten that opportunity. They should have recognized my work, they should have invited me. Why didn't they invite me? And why didn't they invite them? And as creators, I know it's easy to live there. And I want to share with you because I love being open and honest and just transparent, okay? I've had those thoughts too. I mean, I think everyone who who creates, who who imagines, who dreams, who does uh these you know hopes and and and goals and and puts them all together, I think we all feel that way. I mean, I've poured my heart into content. I've hoped Disney would notice, right? I I think we all do. If you're if you're in the Disney sphere and world and bubble, you want that. I mean, I put these podcasts together. I've been doing this podcast for over a year and a half now. And of course you want someone to recognize and notice, and you'd love to um be appreciated for your work or to have somebody reach out and say, hey, we want a sponsor that, like all that, right? I mean, I I think it's easy to do. I I've wondered sometimes why one video did well and the other one didn't. Like, you know what I mean? I I've compared myself to other creators who seem to uh be growing faster. And and and maybe, you know, that's not something that you um have experienced yourself, but but maybe it's something similar, right? Maybe it's not necessarily with social media, but perhaps it's with your career or your relationships or your finances or your or your family or um I don't know. Whatever it is, we all know what it feels like to expect something. And then one day I I had a thought that completely changed my perspective. And it's not really my thought, it's just just coming across things, reading things. And here's here's the thought that just really I've been thinking a lot lately. No one owes me anything. You know what I mean? Like, no one owes me anything, not Disney, not Instagram, not the algorithm, not life itself. And strangely, you know what? It wasn't depressing. It and strangely, it wasn't like when when I started thinking about that, it wasn't like it didn't make me sad. You know what it did? It was freeing, it was powerful. And and this idea that no one owes me anything, you know what happens is it is that everything then becomes a gift. Everything becomes special. Every encouraging message, every opportunity, every friendship, every sunrise, every time I go to Disneyland, every time I get to wake up and do meaningful work and and fulfill my purpose. Like it becomes more special. And now I'm more grateful instead of expecting something or or saying I need this, like it, I become more appreciative and more grateful for what I do have, and I don't miss out on the things that I'm experiencing today.

When Plans Fail At The Park

Ruben

I want you to imagine that you're going to Disneyland, all right, and you'll be there on Disneyland's 71st birthday. In fact, I'll be there on Disneyland's 71st birthday. I can't wait for that. But just think about it. You've planned everything. I mean, you've watched every YouTube strategy video, you've got your lightning lanes booked. Um, you know, you you've you've got everything set, you've paid for like the planning, the the preparation, the hotel. You are ready to go. Uh, you've got like the perfect, in the words of Mary Poppins, the practically perfect, right? It's practically perfect itinerary. And then like you get there, right? You ready for it? Because it happens to all of us. Let's see your favorite ride, Thunder Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain breaks down. Your favorite character that you dressed up, like you were ready to meet this character, Mickey Mouse, Peter Pan, uh, Cinderella. You know, the list can go on and on and on. Your favorite character never comes out. The parade happens to be canceled, or if you're at Disneyland, sometimes it's not so much the parade, but it's the fireworks, right? Because of the weather. It's canceled. We've all had that. And here, here's here's the power. You ready for it? Because and I and I'm saying this because we've experienced it and I know what it's like. But if your joy depended on those expectations, guess what happens? You leave disappointed. Now, I'm not, of course, yes, it's sad. You know, we we we of course want those things, and uh, I'm with you on that. You hear me? Like, I I know what it's like to feel that disappointment, but if it if your joy depends on those expectations, then what happens is you probably leave disappointed and you miss out on everything else that you experienced that day because it's so easy to focus on the negative or on the disappointments. But think about, let's just think about the things that you would have missed. Maybe you would have missed one of the most beautiful things is walking right down the middle of Main Street USA and the music is playing or the dapper dance or the band is coming out, right? The smell of popcorn. You you know, sometimes it's just have you ever done this where you know you yes, you go to Disneyland to experience the attractions and and the characters and all that, but sometimes it's just like the people watching, man. You see a little child who's who goes to Mickey Mouse and and and you know, you talk to a parent and they're like, he's meeting them for the first time. And you're like, wow, like how cool is that, right? Laughing with your family, being present with your family, and I know a thing about this. In fact, I gotta talk about this some more later on, about being present in Disneyland with your family, what that's like, you know, um, and the beauty of that and and the conversations I've had to have with my family about how sometimes it's so easy to want to capture content and not be present. That's another story for another day. But you know, finding that hidden Mickey, listening to the to um the conversations that are going on around you, uh about the magic that people are experiencing. How about watching the Mark Twain glide across the rivers of America, the castle at sunset, or or at that golden hour, the photos that you took, the magic shots that you come away with, right? Those moments don't disappear. What happens is we just stop noticing them. And why is it? Why is it that we stop noticing them? Well, here's why because unmet expectations have a way of shrinking our vision. Yeah. We become so focused on what didn't happen that we miss everything that did. Isn't that true in life? It's true in life. How often do we miss today's blessings, today's joy, today's encouragement because we're obsessed with tomorrow's breakthrough. We're always looking at what's next that we miss out on what's today. Or we have these unexpected moments in Disneyland that we didn't plan for, and then it causes us to spoil our day or to miss out on every other piece of magic that we experienced that day. As Disneyland celebrates 71 years, you often wonder how many unforgettable memories happen because someone's day didn't go according to plan. Maybe they missed one attraction or two, uh, but discovered another favorite. Maybe they took a different path and then they stumbled onto live entertainment they never knew existed. You know. Um maybe they slowed down long enough to notice the details that they had walked past for years. I've been going to Disneyland forever. All right, at least 40, 40 plus years. Um, something like that. But every time I go, there's a detail I miss. I was there, I remember what maybe a month or two ago, and I saw a window on Main Street. That I'm like, how did I miss this? Over there by the opera house, right up top, there is a window honoring Bob Yanni who created the Main Street Electrical Parade, my favorite parade of all time. All right. One of my favorites. I don't know, man. I got so many, but it's up there, okay? And I'm like, how did I miss this all these years? I missed it. I'm telling you, there's so many details every single time I walk into Disneyland. Sometimes those detours uh become the destination, you know? And sometimes the magic you were looking for isn't where you expected to find it. So, my friends, my dear friends, I don't want anyone hearing this to think I'm saying don't dream. Okay? Please dream. Keep dreaming. We have to, right? That this that's in our hearts, like to dream big, that imagination. That's why we love Disneyland and Walt Disney because he was the dreamer of all dreamers. So dream boldly, set goals, work hard, believe impossible

The Weekly Challenge And Closing

Ruben

things can become possible, just like Walt Disney. But listen, hold those dreams with open hands. Because dreams inspire us. Expectations, they just have a way of imprisoning us. There's a difference. And when we start believing the world owes us something, you know what happens? Gratitude quietly walks out the door. And comparison usually walks in. So let's become people who are amazed by grace, amazed by opportunities, amazed by kindness, amazed that we get to live this life at all. That mindset changes everything, and that mindset is where the magic is. Alright? So here's the magical challenge for you this week. You ready? Whenever disappointment shows up, because it's gonna show up and no one likes it, I don't like it, but when it shows up, maybe you could pause and ask yourself one important question. What expectation am I holding on to that's keeping me from seeing today's magic? What expectation am I holding on to that's keeping me from seeing today's magic? Don't ask it with guilt, but more curious, like Peter Pan. That's one of the reasons I love Peter Pan, because he was curious. Ask it with curiosity. You might discover that the very thing stealing your joy isn't your circumstances, it's your expectations, which lead to perspective. So as Disneyland celebrates another birthday this week, I love being there, I can't wait to be there soon. I'm truly grateful. Not just for the attractions, not just for the memories, which are so many, and so many attractions I love, so many beautiful memories, but for the life lessons hidden behind the magic. And maybe that's the greatest gift Disneyland has given us over the past 71 years. Not simply an escape from life, but a reminder of how to live it. That the magic you experience in a Disney park is not something that has to stay there. You get to experience that magic even when you leave. Alright? Dream big, love deeply, stay grateful, and don't let unmet expectations cause you to miss the magic that's already surrounding you. Friends, thank you so much. Love y'all so much, appreciate you. I'm so grateful for you. I really am. I'm grateful for this family, this community that we built together. I appreciate you. Y'all go out there, have the best day ever. Keep dreaming big, keep believing that the best is yours and it's yet to come, right? Keep remembering today that the magic in a Disney park is the magic you get to live every single day. Because you are the magic, and the magic is in you.