3 Ways Fairy Tales Can Make You Smarter

Why do fairy tales make you smarter?

Fairy tales have been a part of human culture for centuries. Nowadays, most people watch Disney’s version of them though.

Fairy tales make you smarter even when handling conflict or negotiation!

Think about it: Everything is made up in our minds we run stories every second.

The quality of the pictures that we make in our heads defines the quality of the life we chose to have in all the areas of our lives.

Fairy tales can make you smarter

The images you create in your head help shape the quality of your life. Fairy tales are perfect for this! They show us how to handle conflict, romance, and negotiation through different archetypes that are used in most stories.

Here are three ways fairy tales can make you more creative and smart when handling conflict or negotiation.

1) The Hero’s Journey archetype

This is made up of three stages: initiation, struggle, and discovery. Initiation is the most important stage because it forces our hero to learn about themselves and face their fears. They have to prepare for the challenges ahead by looking within themselves before they can fight external forces with strength and wisdom.

2) The animal helper archetype:This creature helps the protagonist defeat external forces by giving them guidance on how to do so. It sometimes asks the protagonist to return the favor at some point in time—and they’re usually happy to do it or they might not get another chance.

3) The mother archetype When there’s a mother involved in a story, she’s usually nurturing and protective; taking care of her child while also maintaining harmony with others around her. She does this by being open-minded but also firm with her boundaries.

Picture this: the value of fairy tales

Tales like Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty, Santa Claus have been around for centuries.

Originally, they were used as a way to pass along knowledge about our culture and how relationships work.

They offer valuable lessons that we can’t learn anywhere else.

Are you curious about what those lessons are?

If so, then read on!

3 ways fairy tales can make you smarter

#1 Deepen your understanding of relationships

Some of the most famous fairy tales are actually based on Jung’s teachings about archetypes. The stories teach us that there are four basic personality types—think prince or princess, hero or heroine, villain or henchman. These archetypes are defined by the attitudes they have towards themselves and others, their relationship with society, and their self-understanding.

The Disney version of these characters is oversimplified. But when you read the original versions, you can see how they help us develop a deep understanding about how relationships work. This is especially true in negotiations where you have to know what type of person your opponent is so you can anticipate their next move. Who is your parter, what are his needs and how to handle a difficult moment in your relationship.

#2 Learn from mistakes made by others

Many fairy tales also show us how not to handle conflict when we come across it in our lives. For example, when Shrek meets his future wife Fiona for the first time he approaches her in a negative manner due to feelings of jealousy and insecurity. This sets off a string of events that could’ve been avoided if he had handled the situation differently and respected her space and wants for herself instead.

 #3 Learn to find creative solutions to resolve conflict.

Fairy tales teach children  and adults how to handle conflict creatively. It is because of fairy tales that we are able to imagine others and make them feel like they have some type of worth or value. Therefore fairy tales makes us smarter, more creative and resourceful.

Conclusion

Now that you’ve been introduced to three things fairy tales can do to make you smarter, it’s time to start reading! Not only will you be more knowledgeable, but you’ll be smarter too.

Fairy tales and story telling help us heal old wounds. In my process I often use metaphors and story telling to help my clients transform their fears and doubts into awareness and freedom.

Our imagination is what makes up the quality of life that we choose to live through fairy tale pictures in our heads when making choices about how to handle conflict or negotiation ourselves.

Which is the fairy tale that  has been an inspiration to you and why?