I don’t know much about actual gypsies. In my mind they’re mysterious travelers with a thirst for adventure and a bit of magic about them.
Not many people in today’s world inspire thoughts of magic and wonder. In fact, I only know one, and I stole her from another family.
I’m talking about my Grandmother. Well, someone else’s Grandmother actually. I met her in a previous relationship. But when that relationship ended, I just couldn’t let her go. So now she’s my Grandmother too. To my kids, she is Grandma Nona and she tells them fairies are real.
She has a sense of wonder, of magic. Something about her strengthens you. Your soul feels empty. But after a visit with her you feel full and hopeful and grateful. Like magic, you’re renewed.
The woman is a walking inspiration. Over the years, I’ve learned a few things from her:
1. Be Thankful When Things Go Wrong
Wait, say again? Do I really want you to be thankful when the world falls apart? I sure do.
You see, sometimes the universe tries to reach you. It’ll give you signs. Gentle nudges to get you where you need to go.
But sometimes you think you know better and ignore those signs. That’s when the universe has to get louder and begins to shout “No!” at you, because you’re not listening.
These shouts typically show up as things going “wrong” in your life.
I say wrong, but usually those bad situations teach you something or lead you somewhere you need to be.
It’s the universe guiding you to the path you’re supposed to be on.
So be thankful when things go wrong.
And if you don’t even know where to start on that subject, I’ve added this post for you to check out (not written by me):
7 Ways to Be Thankful Every Day
2. Don’t Cuddle Cockroaches
Consider this for a minute: who seems stronger, the person refusing to let go of anger, or the person that has forgiven and is skipping along merrily without that weight?
It is the strong person that angrily clutches old grudges? It’s not hard to hold onto anger. That’s easy.
If you’re looking for hard, that’s letting go of the anger. Dealing with the anger to an extent that it no longer controls you, that takes work. That’s hard. That’s the strong person.
Holding onto wrongs done to you, just helps you keep them. Who wants to keep that junk?
Letting go gives you the freedom to move on instead of holding it to your chest like cuddling a cockroach.
For more on that you can go here (also not written by me):
Let Go of Your Anger, Take Back Your Life
3. Be a Crybaby
Cry. Let it all out.
Take all that pain and sadness you’re feeling and really sit in it. Not only are you allowed to feel it, but you really should feel it.
There’s no way to heal something without feeling it first. You can’t skip the hard part as much as you’d like to.
Feel that pain, but don’t stay there. How long you stay there is up to you, but you can’t stay there forever. That’s no way to live.
You have to let it go. It won’t go away all at once, but it will slowly fade if you allow it. In fact, in my experience, it goes away faster when you allow yourself to sit with it for a while first, to process.
Don’t fight it. It is the reality of your today. Trying to push it down doesn’t release it, and it just takes longer to get past it.
So, face it head on, have a good cry, and then let it go.
If you’re worried it’s not okay to cry, just read this other post not written by me:
4. If It’s Dark… Turn on a Light
Just because times are tough, doesn’t mean you can’t open the curtains and let the sunlight in.
Even when bad stuff happens, you’re allowed to smile.
Sometimes, in the midst of a storm, we think we have to wallow in it. Like we’ve earned that sorrow and need to soak it up. “My loved one died, it’s not okay to smile.”
Not true! We laughed (and cried) at my dad’s funeral, and he would have loved that.
People that pass don’t want to make you miserable by their passing. Sure, they want to be remembered, to be missed. But they don’t want to hurt you.
Bad times in general, happen to us all. That doesn’t mean you can’t smile when your neighbor makes a joke.
You don’t have to be stone cold to prove your love or your sense of loss.
There will be no awards for the most miserable.
I won’t say it easy to smile in the midst of sadness. But here’s another take on it that might help:
How to Be Happy When You’re Hurting
5. Put Yourself in Time-Out
It’s almost impossible for people to sit and do nothing but think. We’re constantly on our phones, or we need to talk or clean or do do do.
Sitting quietly with your thoughts feels terrifying for a lot of people. Do nothing? Impossible!!
Having some solitude once a day is life changing. Even 10 minutes can make a difference.
What chance do you have of discovering your own desires without any opportunity to hear your thoughts? And you can’t hear your thoughts if you’re constantly distracting yourself.
Hearing your own thoughts is important. It’s how you receive those messages from the universe. It’s how you come up with new ideas. It’s how you get to know who it is you are.
Make an effort to prioritize yourself. If you have to, make an appointment with yourself. Block out the calendar for a few minutes and hear what you might have to say.
I’m not the only one that agrees with the importance of alone time:
6. Believe in Magic
Life can be magical. Life holds great sorrows but also great happiness. Sorrow is sometimes the price of that happiness.
But it’s worth it.
Believe in your own magic. Believe in yourself and your ability to do anything.
That’s how people succeed in life. You have your own special blend of magic that makes you unique. Use it.
Have faith in what you’re capable of doing. You’re the only person that has your unique blend of magic, the only person on the planet put here with that exact combination. You’re here to fulfill a purpose.
People achieve extraordinary things every day. Why not you?
If you don’t know how, this might get you started:
7. Find Your Own Gypsies
Search out people that make you feel a sense of magic.
I don’t necessarily mean witches gathering in the garden at dusk, but people that make you believe anything is possible. People that make you feel energized or renewed. Like a miracle could be right around the corner, or like there’s more to life than meets the eye.
Like my gypsy Grandmother.
Other reasons to have a mentor in your life:
The Importance of Having Great Life Mentors
Mental Strength Isn’t Something You Master in a Day
It takes time to become a wisdom warrior. My grandmother had over 70 years to hone her wisdom. She encountered bad times, bad people, and an immense amount of learning opportunities in her life.
Since the initial writing of this post, she passed away. But I learned from her all the way to the end. In fact, the end is where I learned the most.
When she went, it was on her own terms. And it was with grace. She wanted everyone to be happy for her. She was going somewhere better.
She’d taught us all she could and now it was time to go. To that next level, wherever it might be.
Life is about learning lessons and experiencing life. Find your own wisdom, your own magic. Allow life to teach you. Be open to the lessons.
Not even a brilliant blog post about gypsies will make life all better. You’re the only one that has the power to strengthen your mind and your life. That’s the bad news. No one is coming to save you.
Now for the good news…you have the power to save you. You have the power to change your whole life, to completely recreate yourself.
Bottom line here, life is never too dark to turn on a light. Find your own gypsies and seek out things that bring you joy. Look for chances to turn on lights in your life. It’s easier than you might think. Shine on my gypsies.
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And while we’re on the subject of my blog, here’s a few other topics you might like:
Have a Great Year, Any Time of the Year