When I was growing up, I walked the fine line between girly-girl and total tomboy. I liked to wear my Snow White costume when we went out, but I also liked to play in the mud. Growing up in Florida, my dad use to take me into these tidal pools and we would look and play with all the cool fish swimming in it. Most girls were scared or grossed out by salamanders and lizards. I thought they were super cool!

I had the coolest collection of shells growing up. My parents would take them and decorated the garden with all the shells I would pick up. My childhood was spent blissfully happy. My backyard looked like it was out of a fairytale. We had lemon trees, orange trees and these beautiful tropical flowers growing in the south Florida sun, all decorated with my "treasures" (my shells and driftwood I would scavenge with my dad). I would walk along the beach, playing in the surf and I would pick up some random pieces of broken shell, give them to my dad, and he would put them in this beat up backpack we got from Goodwill. I would tell him they were magical and would give him superpowers or something crazy and he would just go with it. Then we would get Superman ice cream and hot dogs for dinner and go home.

But, even though I loved to play in the tidal pools and terrorize lizards and snakes, I also loved my Disney and Barbie movies. Of course, when I would watch them, I had to play dress up, get all my stuffed animals out, and we all watched them together. My all time favorite Disney movie was Bambi, (even though watching it now I can't make it past the first ten minutes without crying my eyes out. Anyone else have these issues?) but I still loved my Disney Princesses. On this happy note, here are my top five reasons Disney Princesses are awesome.

5. Belle. ("Beauty and the Beast")

Belle taught me that every person is redeemable. Prince Adam is such a jerk in the beginning of the movie. I mean honestly, who is so vain that they won't help a person simply because they aren't "pretty enough?" (We've all done it.) But Belle sees past all of this and by simply being herself, she changes Adam. She lets him see that no matter how he looks, what horrible things he has done, or how petty he is there is always a bright side. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. Belle taught us that we don't have to change the world, but if we help change one person's life, we've done more than enough. Your past doesn't define who you are. You define who you are.

4. Sleeping Beauty (and Maleficent)

Sleeping Beauty, aka Aurora, taught me to believe in love at first sight. She meets Prince Phillip walking in the forest, and they dance to the song "Once Upon A Dream" and fall in love in a matter of minutes. Phillip then returns home, promising to see Aurora later. Aurora returns to her cottage, where her whole life flips upside down. She finds out she is a Princess who has been cursed, and has to go home to her dad and marry a prince. She gets upset, but does as she is told. Long story short, Phillip literally slays a Maleficent the dragon for her, then Aurora and Phillip live happily ever after. Love is a commitment to one another. Phillip and Aurora felt that instant connection to one another, and managed to conquer the one of the most powerful Disney villains. Love is the most powerful source of energy on the planet. When you feel it drawing people together, it brings about a deep and meaningful connection. Love truly does conquer all.

3. Pocahontas

Pocahontas taught me to always stand up for what I believe in. She taught me that even when everyone is telling me I need to do something different, that no matter what it would cost me, I have to do what I think it right. Pocahontas was literally about to give her life for John Smith. She would have died for him. She would have made the ultimate sacrifice because of what she believed in. Imagine a world if everyone was like her. Imagine a world where people stood up for each other, instead of tearing one another down. Imagine a world where everyone everywhere could hold each other's hand and say "Even though you have wronged me, I forgive you" instead of literally bombing countries and running each other with trucks. Imagine a world where love wins.

2. Jasmine ("Aladdin")

Jasmine taught me that I am not an object. I am not a prize to be won. I am an equal. I am worthy to be treated like a goddess. Jasmine, Mulan and Belle are the original feminist Icons for girls to learn about, before they can even understand what feminism stands for. Before girls realize that in this world, you are not treated like an equal, simply because of your sex, they see Princesses standing up for woman's rights. Mulan literally saves all of China, Belle saves Prince Adam with her love and Jasmine says, "I don't want to marry him," and doesn't. We don't need "Frozen" telling us about feminism, we have the classics. These women literally just said, "Nope, not today!" and made changes in their lives. If that isn't incredibly inspiring to you, I don't know what else is. (Side note: I do like "Frozen.")

1. Kidagakash Nedakh ("Atlantis: The Lost Empire" and "Atlantis: Milo Returns")

Kida, like Jasmine, Mulan and Belle is another great feminist icon. Whilst she isn't the most popular princess, she is definitely one of my favorites. She, like Pocahontas was willing to give her life to stand up for what she believes in. She, like Mulan, saves her people. She, like Jasmine knows her worth. She knows she isn't a "prize to be won" and chooses a man who treats her like an equal. Unlike all the other princesses mentioned, she is a queen. Her father dies, her mother is missing, her city is dying and she still manages to hold it together. She saves her people. Kida ultimately taught me that if I want to be a modern day goddess, I have to act like one. I have to have all of the qualities of a goddess, and I have to keep it together. Kida is kind. She is strong. She is compassionate. She has class. She has taste. And to top it all off, she knows how to love. Kidais the ultimate Disney princess. She is the ultimate Disney Queen.

No matter how old I become, I will always love Disney.