Merida’s feminist superpower is relatively simple and expected: she is brave.

But there’s a thing about seemingly simple traits: they are never simple to execute. Being brave is hard. Being brave enough to claim who you are and then continue to live it out, is hard. And being brave enough to recognize your true destiny is the absolute hardest.

The debate of is our destiny under our own control is a tired one, and Merida’s beliefs about it are not relevant. But her actions about it are. She takes her life into her own hands and creates her own powerful narrative. She unapologetically chases after the fate she envisions, and it is ultimately successful.

Throughout her journey she learns that being bold and being brave are not the same thing. When she is just bold, she is selfish. She is brave when she learns to use her fight to create a future that positively impacts everyone around her, instead of just herself. When she begins to value others and understand the result of her actions upon them, but still hopes that her fight wins her a life that she has a say in, she becomes one of the strongest examples of bravery in action.

Our lives each have their own unique complications and expectations. While I will never understand the trope of being upset about being a princess and all of it’s “responsibilities” and gowns and princes, we can all understand the desire to have a life of our own. And Merida shows us that it is good to fight for that. Being brave is good and strong and bold in the best way.

I do believe in fate. I also believe our choices give us the power to create that fate. We must be actively involved in the decisions of our lives if we want any chance to be happy with its outcome. And of course it is all better said than done, but follow in Merida’s footsteps and choose to be brave. See the fate inside you and bravely choose to believe in its truth. Choose to bravely change your job if you hate it, or go make a new friend, or go on that trip to the place you have always dreamed about. Maybe it will become just another bulleted item on a list of things you’ve done or people you know. But maybe it will change your life.

So, if you had the chance to change your fate, would you?