This is Part 3 of a 5-Part Series on Strongholds
By far my favorite character from Disney’s movie Frozen is Olaf; who can resist his bubbly personality and charm, his naivety? But, let's be honest: the real reason I love Olaf so much is because I can identify with him. You see, Olaf has a stronghold: heat. Some strongholds get their start because we just don’t know any better. Watch for yourself and see if you can pick out some of the possible signs of an impending stronghold:
There is something enticing about it
“I don’t know why, but I’ve always loved the idea of summer, and sun, and all things hot …”
It looks like fun, and others appear to be doing it without any problem.
Foolishness
Kristoff: “Really? … I’m guessing you don’t have much experience with heat.”
Olaf: “Nope!”
At least in the beginning, Olaf is very naïve and carefree; he doesn’t really see the potential pitfalls of heat. The Hebrew words used to describe that type of posture are usually translated as “foolishness” or “folly”.
There is a Focus on Short-Term Benefits as Opposed to Long-Term Consequences
“Bees will buzz, kids will blow dandelion fuzz, and I’ll be doing whatever snow does in summer. A drink in my hand, my snow up against the burning sand, probably getting gorgeously tanned in summer.”
Who wouldn’t want all of that? … But let’s not talk about the possibility of ultimately melting into a puddle.
There Are Some Temporary “Hidden” Benefits or Pleasures; Olaf is Looking to Meet a Permanent Internal Need Through a Temporary External Means
“I can’t wait to see what my buddies all think of me; just imagine how much cooler I’ll be in summer.”
Olaf may be ultimately seeking affirmation and acceptance. He is clearly concerned about what others think of him and/or being included. The cool shades and the umbrella drink may stroke his ego or elevate his status … he may shed a few pounds with the initial heat, and everyone will tell him how great he looks … people might think he’s a lot more fun when he’s in the sun.
Throughout the movie, he tells everyone how much he likes warm hugs, so it may be that he associates heat with unconditional love and affection.
Or the internal need could be stress relief or the need to escape or relax: “When life gets tough I like to hold on to my dream of relaxing in the summer sun just lettin’ off steam.”
Whatever the internal need: love, affirmation, acceptance, companionship, self-esteem, self-confidence, stress relief, escaping reality … Olaf believes summer is the perfect answer. … And, whatever the hidden (but temporary) benefits are, there is something beyond just the heat that Olaf is seeking, which causes him to desire summer.
There’s an Initial “Rush” or a “Thrill” Involved
“The hot and the cold are both so intense; put ‘em together, it just makes sense!”
The initial exhilaration that Olaf experiences when hot first meets cold is pleasurable (it provides excitement or comfort or whatever it is he is looking for), and so he continues to desire that feeling. When he first experiences it by the fire with Anna (before he starts melting too much), he says, “So this is heat? … I LOVE it!!”
Dissatisfaction or Discontent with What He’s Already Got
“Winter’s a good time to stay in and cuddle, but put me in summer and I’ll be a … happy snowman.”
There is a sense that what he has isn’t enough, and if he could just experience summer, then he would be happy and life would be great.
There Are Some Warning Signs or Red Flags, But He Chooses to Deny or Ignore Them
“… but put me in summer, and I’ll be a … (pauses to look at the puddle) … happy snowman.”
Olaf has some sense that there are some inherent risks, but he chooses to ignore them or believes it just won’t happen to him; in his mind, the perceived rewards outweigh any potential risks.
A sense of community or belonging
“The sky will be blue, and you guys will be there too … “
We almost always gravitate toward people with the same stronghold, which is one of the reasons it can be very difficult to overcome … it frequently puts a huge strain on our relationships when we try doing things differently.
There is an “agreement” (whether acknowledged or not) to deny, cover up, or look the other way.
Kristoff: “I’m gonna tell him.”
Anna: “Don’t you dare!”
(Later) Kristoff: “Somebody needs to tell him.”
A stronghold for one may not be a stronghold for others; because they are not snowmen, Kristoff and Anna can be in the heat without a problem (although they may need to apply sunscreen!), but for Olaf, the heat is a very real danger. For those around Olaf who don’t have a problem with heat, there is a tendency to not want to hurt his feelings, rock the boat, or seem judgmental by being honest with him. For those around Olaf who share the same stronghold, they don’t want to admit it’s a problem for Olaf because then they might have to recognize some of the same tendencies in their own lives. Either way, there is a tendency to protect the “status quo”, and this will make it even harder for Olaf to avoid the stronghold because he just wants to be like everyone else.
© I Lift My Voice, 2015.