How to Embrace Joy
When I was first told that I would become a grandmother in 2021, I was overcome with fear. This is not the typical reaction most Grandparents have. But for me I did not know how to embrace the joy because of what had happened to my mom.
My brain had created a story that when I became a grandma, it meant something bad was going to happen.
Pinch me…we just had another grand baby, Wyatt!
That makes FOUR grandchildren! To say we feel abundantly blessed, would be an understatement.
But to be truthful, I didn’t always feel this way.
When our daughter first told us she was pregnant with our first grandchild, I was overcome with fear.
Odd right?
Not the feeling you would normally associate with becoming a Grandma!
But for me, the word Grandma had a really negative meaning.
You see, my beautiful brain had created a story.
If and when I became a Grandma, it meant something bad was going to happen.
My brain created this fear-based story, because that was what happened for my mom.Wyatt
“Happiness is like a butterfly, the more you chase it, the more it will evade you, but if you notice the other things around you, it will gently come and sit on your shoulder.”
When my mom was just 58 and a new Grandma, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. We lost her within 9 months of her diagnosis.
My kids grew up without knowing their Grandma Molly.
And it wasn’t until our daughter told us she was expecting, that I started to realize I was holding on to my mom’s story – instead of creating my own.
I am eternally grateful to my Life Coach at the time, who, ever so gently,helped me see that I was foreboding JOY in this magical moment.
I am not sure how long I would have gone on, unconsciously believing my old story and feeling fear.
I share this with you today, because I am no longer triggered when I think of myself as a Grandma (although I prefer the title Gigi).
I embrace it!
Becoming a Gigi/Grandma/Nana is the most amazing privilege, should we have the good fortune to become one.
I am so grateful to not only have overcome this fear, but I no longer allow JOY to be robbed in any area of my life!
Through self-coaching, I have built a really good radar for myself, that the smallest inkling of something getting in the way of me celebrating JOY in my life – I immediately challenge it.
I encourage you today, to pause for a moment and reflect if there are any “old” stories from the past that are robbing you of JOY. And challenge them!
Your “old” story may not be the same as mine.
Your “old” story may be something like:
“My marriage will just always be mediocre”.
“I’ll never find my purpose”.
“I’ll never like my job”.
“Other people have it easier than me”.
“I’ll never get along with my son-in-law”.
“I’ll never lose weight”.
“I’ll always be bad with money.”
“We’ll never get ahead”.
Whatever your “old” story is…it won’t go away until you acknowledge it and then challenge it!
You may have evidence it has happened in the past.
But it doesn’t mean it has to create your future.
