5 Lessons I’ve Learned — From Life & Business
It’s crazy how much things can change in just under two years.
I started The Gypsy Blues in 2018, and I can’t even recognize the girl I was back then. I’ve been blessed to face many obstacles that have only made me grow and evolve, as a person and business owner. The woman I am today, in all areas of my life, is so different from the lost soul that started all of this.
Ya’ll probably know by now that I love to help people, in any form. Somehow I’ve been lucky enough to have an amazing community surrounding this biz! If you follow my Instagram you’ve probably heard my little nuggets of advice from time to time, and I’m never afraid to be entirely open & honest with my Blues Babes.
I was thinking a lot recently about how far I’ve come as a person, and how a lot of my growth is due to running this business. So here are 5 lessons I’ve learned over the past two years that have truly changed my perspective (in life and business):
Know Your Worth
This one has been the hardest for me to learn, in all areas of my life. I’ve never had a great self-esteem and I was bullied a lot in school, which made it hard for me to connect with people and make boundaries. At some point we all hit a moment where we’re like, “woah — I deserve better!” That is a magical moment, and an empowering one. I started to truly find myself over the past couple of years, after a lifetime of trying to fit into other people’s molds.
During that time of growth I had to think a lot about who I am as a person and what I deserve. I’ve had to cut out negative people from my life, only to meet new amazing ones who are good to me. My relationship has grown because we both have our boundaries and know how to treat each other in the ways we deserve.
As far as business, I’ve had to look over my pricing time and time again — it’s been the biggest challenge for me. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, people WILL pay for good quality work, and most of the time it’s because they want to support your small business! My prices are fair for my work, time, and quality, and I’ve had to teach myself to stand firm on that — with a good sale here and there, of course!
Community is Important
I’ve always been a very independent person, but humans are social creatures. No matter how much we say we “don’t need anyone”…we definitely do! This past year I’ve started to have a social life again and a good group of friends. In my teenage years you could always find me surrounded by people or at a party, but once high school ended all of that ended for me, too. As much as I wished for all of that back, I really needed those couple of years to settle down, learn about myself, and set my long-term goals.
When I first started my business I was honestly terrified that nobody would care or support me. Of course I had my close family and a couple of friends to share my posts, but I couldn’t imagine anyone else doing that. Boy, was I wrong! It took almost a year, but I started to build that community that I longed for. The more I showed myself on Gypsy’s social media, the more people wanted to follow, talk, support, and eventually buy! Almost 2 years into business now, and I have the most amazing people supporting me, my Blues Babes. I may not have a million followers, but I’d much rather have my tight-knit community any day.
Patience = Growth
Remember when you’re little and all you want is to be a grown-up? (Jokes on you, kid!). I think we tend to experience that feeling in every phase of our lives. For me, I couldn’t wait to graduate high school. Then, it was graduating college; finding a job in my career field; marriage, kids, the house, etc. My plans were happily interrupted by a change of heart, which was terrifying and freeing all at the same time.
Once I started my business, I couldn’t help but think of the future. Where do I want this to go? What’s the next launch? How can I get more followers, customers, etc? All valid questions that any business owner should ask themselves, but not ones to obsess over. The best thing to do, in not just business but life, is to have goals but also go with the flow. The Universe always has your back and will allow the good to come into your life. You will face challenges, moments where you think the world is ending, but from those times you’ll grow so much!
Patience is key in any area of life. Sometimes the best thing you can do is be happy and grateful for the now. My philosophy is to work hard, set goals, but don’t forget to acknowledge the beauty in the present. Every day I am shocked by how far I’ve come, no matter how far I have to go. The present is a blessing, the future is an adventure.
Life Happens in the Little Moments
Similar to my last point, being present in the now. This lesson is one I’ve mostly learned from being a step-mom and watching my little dude grow so quickly the past 5 years! It’s easy to get caught up in routine, goals, clock in / clock out & repeat, right? I’m still working on being more present and planning as much work as I can around my family schedule.
We really enjoy hanging out at night and watching movies, but I used to find myself working on my phone or product lineups during those times. It made me miss the little moments — the laughs, the smiles, the couch cuddles. I’ve been working on changing that bad habit and trying to actually be there more. When we skip over those little moments, what is life really worth?
People won’t remember you for how much money you’ve made or the things you’ve accomplished, but for the way you made them feel. The way you smiled, the jokes you told, that one time you burnt dinner and made the whole house fog up but you all laughed through your hunger. Those are the little moments — they happen in life, business, and in-between. Be present for that.
Hustle doesn’t mean Exhaustion
Hi, my name is Laura and I’m a workaholic (raise your hand if you’re with me!). I think I get it from my Dad, who literally worked so much that he’s probably in Heaven working right now because he actually enjoyed the hustle. It’s not a bad thing to be a productive person! It’s honestly one of my better traits, if I do say so myself. However…it’s not always healthy.
This business is my baby, and I am always thinking about it. I’m constantly spewing ideas to my fiance’, writing down plans and working on things. My productive side helps me achieve goals and meet launch dates, and I’m always one step ahead of myself. At the same time, I’ve had to learn to turn it off once in a while. At the end of the day, I’m the one setting my deadlines and goals. I won’t get fired if I miss one day of work because I need some self-care, and it’s something I’ve had to remind myself a lot.
People preach about “hustle, grind, work hard for your goals” and that’s all great! But what about those days where you just can’t go anymore? What if all you want to do is lay on the couch for a couple hours? There is a delicate balance between hard work and over working. No matter what you do, remember that you deserve those breaks. Even if all you have is an extra hour in your day, you don’t have to fill it with work. Celebrate how far you’ve come, how hard you’ve worked, and relax instead!
I hope ya’ll enjoyed this blog and heard a piece of advice you may have needed. I’m still personally working on all of this, but I’m getting better everyday. Thank you for all of your support and love! Everything I do is worth it with so many amazing Blues Babes by my side!
If you don’t follow me, well…whatcha waiting for?
Instagram @thegypsyblues
I share a lot more of my life, business updates, etc on there!