Five life lessons we can learn from Winnie the Pooh

He’s been named an icon of England, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has delighted children (and adults) for 100 years.

Winnie the Pooh is one of the world’s most famous fictional bears and most popular children’s literary characters – as well as a star of both big and small screen. The bear of little brain first appeared by name in a newspaper article in 1925 before the eponymousWinnie-the-Pooh collection of stories was published in October 1926.

But the tales of Pooh, Piglet and the rest of the gang created by author AA Milne are not only entertaining reads – there are also plenty of inspirational messages throughout. BBC Bitesize heads deep into the Hundred Acre Wood to find out what life lessons we can learn.

Live in the moment

When Pooh asks Piglet what day it is, he’s told by his friend that it’s today.

No time is better than the present for Pooh who replies that ‘today’ is his favourite day.

The self-proclaimed bear of very little brain is embracing living in the moment, also known as mindfulness.

Mindfulness apps and relaxation methods have become much more popular in recent years and they can play a big part in our mental health.

According to the NHS, “paying more attention to the present moment, to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you, can improve your mental wellbeing.”

So, for Pooh, the here and now – in particular being with his best friend – takes precedence over almost everything.

Body positivity

Winnie the Pooh made the leap from book to the big screen in 1966, appearing in Disney’s featurette Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree.

In the song, Up, Down and Touch the Ground, Pooh is exercising and celebrates his plus size figure, singing “I am short, fat and proud of that.”

The cartoon version of Pooh, whether consciously or not, seems to support what is now known as a body positive message. The children’s mental health charity Young Minds talks about body positivity as accepting “all bodies, no matter what type, shape or size.”

The charity encourages young people who are struggling with their body image to think positively about how they look, to feel more comfortable and confident – something Pooh does regularly and openly.

Celebrate your individuality

If there’s one thing we can say for certain in the world of Winnie the Pooh, it’s that Tigger is full of confidence.

Tigger regularly declares his kind (of which we know he is the only one) to be wonderful things. In fact, his favourite thing about himself is his individuality.

The bounciest member of the Hundred Acre Wood knows he’s not the same as all of his friends but embraces his unique personality and characteristics.

This is a classic example of having good self-esteem. Mental health charity Mind say self-esteem is “how we value and perceive ourselves” and is based on “our opinions and beliefs about ourselves which can sometimes feel really difficult to change.”

People can suffer from low self-esteem as a result of challenges at home, school or work, through relationship problems or general stress in their lives.

Mind suggest things like being kind to yourself and celebrating your successes as some of the ways you can raise your self-esteem – all things the relentlessly enthusiastic Tigger does regularly.

While it’s unlikely any of us will have the self-confidence of Tigger, we can follow his approach on individuality to give us a lift and help us bounce back from our challenges.

Sometimes look on the bright side

We’ve all probably received a gift from someone and been a little bit underwhelmed.

Not Eeyore though, which might actually surprise you.

While Tigger is a beacon of positivity, the same can’t be said for Eeyore. The donkey appears to have a pessimistic approach to most circumstances – but he does occasionally look for the positives where others might not find them.

Upon receiving a deflated balloon and an empty pot of honey from Piglet and Pooh, Eeyore doesn’t show any disappointment that his balloon is popped or honey missing. Instead, he is pleased his friends gave him anything at all.

While freezing in the snow, Eeyore cheers himself up by pointing out that they haven’t suffered from an earthquake in some time. Every cloud has a silver lining.

But overall, Eeyore’s mix of positivity and negativity embraces a balanced viewpoint on the world and his emotions.

Young Minds say that ignoring all negative feelings or pushing them away can cause them to build up inside us and have a negative effect on our mental health.

By accepting upsetting and difficult feelings and celebrating positive moments – sharing both good and bad with his loved ones – Eeyore is building his resilience in order to better cope with tougher times.

It’s ok to do nothing

Sometimes, things can feel a bit overwhelming.

So it’s important to take some time for yourself and just, well, do nothing.

That’s an approach that Pooh is more than happy to sign up for. Pooh says he takes time every single day to relax and do nothing at all and urges his friends not to underestimate the value of relaxing.

Mind say relaxation is a great way to look after yourself if you’re stressed or worried and that “just stepping away from something stressful for a few minutes or taking time away from your normal routines and thoughts can give you enough space and distance to feel calmer.”

Whether you watch TV, read a book, go for a walk or just let the world pass you by, like our fluffy friend, it’s well worth switching off from time to time.

So while on paper, the Winnie the Pooh stories and films are essentially fun stories about friendship – there are plenty of words of wisdom from AA Milne. We could all do with being a bit more like Pooh and his pals.