Have you ever lost your mojo? Here are a few ways to get it back.
We all lose our mojo. It happens to the best of us. It’s all part of this complex journey of being human.
One day we’re feeling all inspired and the next we can hardly sit up straight.
Or it can happen slowly, we’re busy working, getting on with things, but it feels like we’re slowly draining away.
And honestly, life just carries on, and we’re lying on our backs floating down the stream. Which sounds nice. Except that we’re floating backwards, and we can’t see which way we’re going and it’s disorientating, and water keeps getting in our mouth.
The main thing is, when we lose our mojo we can feel like we’re getting left behind. That everyone is out there swimming and we’ve lost our way.
Now there can be real reasons why we lose our mojo, maybe someone we love had died, or our boyfriend turns around and tells us that he’s just not that into us anymore. I’m not really talking about these situations – you deserve some time licking your wounds.
I’m talking about a different thing here. It’s something you can’t quite put your finger on. Everything seems OK. Nothing has actually changed, but something has changed in you.
But what do we mean by mojo?
The Cambridge dictionary states that it’s a quality that attracts people to you and makes you successful and full of energy. Sounds great, doesn’t it!
I want me some mojo!
By that definition a lost mojo is not feeling attractive, feeling like a failure, with no energy. Rough. No-one wants to feel like that.
So, when we lose our mojo, how on earth do we get it back?
Move
Dance, walk, jump, swim, do yoga. Movement frees up those belly aches, frozen shoulders, tense necks. Try and move with abandon. Let yourself go. Swing your arms, hold your head high. Allow your feet to literally bounce off the ground. Give yourself 10 minutes. If you’re walking outside, grab a Walkman (sorry I was in the 90s for a second!) and listen to your favourite go getting tunes. Or enjoy the sounds of nature if you’re near enough to it.
Sing
There are many health benefits to singing. It lowers stress levels of cortisol in your bloodstream and improves mental alertness, through improved blood circulation to the brain. That’s science and you can’t argue with that! (unless you are a strange religious type who doesn’t believe in science or Donald Trump).
And if you don’t like singing, what I’m suggesting here is doing something that you find fun. After all, we all need a little fun in our lives to lighten the mood. Work out what fun looks like for you and then make sure you make time for it in your life.
Go for some little wins
What can you do that will give you a feeling of triumph? Looking down the barrel of the gun at all the things you could be doing but aren’t is depressing. Start pulling your tasks apart.
What one things could you focus on and get done that will give you a sense of achievement?
Focus on doing your small job well. Once you’ve done and completed that, give yourself a 10-minute dance break, then move onto the next. Before you know it those small tasks will have turned into a whole heap of things.
It could be simple things like, get back to that email you’ve not answered. Empty the dishwasher. Declutter your desk.
Declutter your desk
While we’re on the subject of it! Working in a mess can make your brain feel like a mess. I had the joy of coming back from holiday to find my desk completely clear. It’s rarely ever like that. It’s mostly a mess. I was really surprised by the reaction my body had to a tidy desk. I did a physical ahhhh. I’ve realised I’d like more of that.
Make your office (or workspace) a place you want to be. Get some plants. Put up some pictures. Paint the walls. Pinterest has a wealth of desk porn for you to pour over to give you some inspiration.
Also, decluttering is one of the first steps to manifesting what you want. So, even more reason to get that feather duster out.
Turn off the social media
When we’re not feeling that confident, the thing we really don’t want to see is people acing it better than us. Don’t worry you’ll be back there soon. But give yourself a breather from all the fabulous people, hearts, likes and pings.
Think of inspiring people
This may seem contradictory to the above statement, but this suggestion is about being specific, rather than just looking at humanity. Who inspires you? Why? What have they done that was special. How are they inspiring? What can you learn from them?
Remember your mission
We all have a mission. We can get bogged down from time to time in the melee of life. With all the tasks and the needs and the goals. What are you here to do? Why are you doing what you do? Getting close to the reasons behind your business, just might kick start you into feeling better about things.
Listen to yourself
We’re not always our best friends. In fact, we can often be our worst enemies. I bet you say things to yourself that you would never dream say to another human being. We can tell ourselves we’re ugly, stupid, unlovable, selfish and a whole host of other terrible things.
When you hear these things, stop and ask yourself are they true? Are you really stupid? Are you really awful at what you do? Is this actually true?
Try and replace these terrible things with those that are actually true.
I’m an independent fabulous woman, who runs her own business. There that’s much nicer isn’t it?
Stay away from people who make you feel terrible
You may have them, you may not. But there are sometimes people we let into our lives who don’t actually make us feel awesome. They might make us doubt ourselves, or think we’re not fun to be around. They might make us feel worse about whatever is going on.
Move away from these negative people. They are hurting you.
Find people who make you feel great
Lost your mojo? Ring that friend who always makes you laugh. Arrange a dinner date. Go for a walk in the park. Don’t be miserable and lonely – that’s the worst.
Treat your body like a temple
Eat well, drink water, sleep. Get a massage, have a glorious bath. Get those nails done. You are a Goddess, treat yourself like one.
Seek help
Finally, don’t be afraid of getting help. We are all human and we all want to be loved. There’s nothing wrong with admitting that you feel a little shitty and you’ve lost your direction. Business coaches are excellent for business problems (find one who inspires you and builds you up – you want to leave sessions feeling invincible!). Friends or counsellors are good for personal problems. Need help? Go find it?
How was that? Have you got any other suggestions you find useful to? I'd love to hear from you
I talk about lots of things like this in my Work Smarter series - why not put the kettle on and have a read!
