Meg, an old friend, called me one day last week to catch up. She was sure it was time to make a dramatic change in her career. A year ago, she felt a spark at work, and now, the joy was gone. Her spirit had fractured to the point that it was negatively impacting her entire life.Yup, work was the problem; she was sure. Her career had run its course. She wanted to talk about making the leap to the expat life. She had an epiphany that would fix what was plaguing her. What else could it be? There were options other than walking away a 20-year career to start something new in a new place. Maybe it was time for Meg to make the leap or perhaps she needed to invest in some jumper cables to restart her mojo that had unexpectedly flatlined when she wasn’t paying attention.We kept talking. If she wanted to move and start a business, I’d give her all the advice I could. If she needed to reconnect with something inside of her, there were pathways to do that too.
Lost Your Mojo?
Life feels like work and work, well, often feels unbearable. Your days are filled with stress and living and working with you becomes more like navigating a minefield than a pleasure. You could blow any second.When you have good mojo, you’re deeply present not only to yourself but to those around you. It’s a tingle that you can’t name, almost a vibration, that
keeps you engaged and makes others want to engage with you. Your mojo is the whisper inside of you that says, “you’ve got this,” and means it.If you feel like you’ve lost your mojo, you’re not alone. You also don’t need to give up your job or move to the other side of the world to get it back. I mean, you could, but if you’ve lost your mojo where you are now, you won’t suddenly discover it in a new location as if it took an earlier flight.
Is your job killing your mojo, or is it something else?
I could relate.As a writer, there was a time that I felt the magic. Some call it mojo, others flow. I’ve also had those magic moments in classrooms I’m facilitating and with coaching clients too. Then, one day, poof.Did I still do my thing? Sure.Did I still offer value? Deliver high quality? You bet.What changed? Did my mojo go on vacation and forget to come home? Unlikely.What I was doing didn’t change all that much; something inside of me did. What changed was me. Life and my circumstances shifted. Things sparkled less, I thought, afraid that maybe what sparkled less was me.One truth that I shared with coaching clients over the years was that
it wasn’t only their mojo that had gone on hiatus, but also their sense of self. It was that part of themselves that knew what they needed to feel fulfilled and have a joyful life.“The part of you that makes you sparkle is who you are, not what you do. “
It’s not too late to get your mojo back. Here’s how:
So, how do you reconnect the most you part of you if you didn’t even know it was missing? Here are a few ideas:
Phone a friend. Sometimes you need to talk things through, and other time you need them to be a mirror and remind you what they see within you. Stop being afraid you’re the only one. Stop being afraid to talk about it. Go all-in on a Coursera class. Learning, gaining knowledge and confidence, interacting and connecting, all of these things are fuel for your mojo Write something crappy. If you’re not a writer, journal without self-editing Read something trashy. Get lost in the story. Not everything you read has to be edifying. Fantasize – plan a trip even if its a not-now trip. What lights you up? Take a mental health day – go play Recruit people to play with you. I love Sleuth Kings List 10 things that are awesome in your life. Go. No thinking or putting it off Give thanks . Don’t let opportunities to be thankful and say thank you pass you by. Reconnect with people who feed your soul. Don’t worry about how long it’s been. Give yourself “brain space.” Intentionally block your schedule give yourself time to look forward and get curious about what’s possible. It’s key that you allow yourself to use this sacred time without stressing about the 19,000 things that could use your attention now. Get reacquainted with your values. Values are your guideposts showing you the way forward. Take a shower. It sounds silly since you do this one regularly, but allow yourself to stand under the stream before rushing on with your day. People swear it’s where some of your best ideas happen for a reason. Take a nap Laugh your ass off. Watch a funny movie or read some ridiculous memes and laugh. Pump up the jam and dance. Don’t want to dance? Pop in your earbuds and hit the gym or go for a run. The essential things are to let the music spark joy within you and move. Meditate – use an app like Calm or try Headspace Sleep at night. If you’re running on empty in the sleep department, it impacts all of your waking hours. Shoot for 7 – 9 daily to be and do your best. Clear your space. Your outer world often reflects how you’re feeling in your inner life. If you want more inner serenity, create it in your office and home. I promise a purge and file will give you more than a clean desk. Set a goal. We all benefit from something to work towards, know yours. It doesn’t matter if it’s big or little, personal or professional. Set one. Donate your time or money or both Look for three bright spots a day. When you’ve lost your mojo, you begin to focus on the gloom. Each night or over dinner force yourself to look for the bright spots in your day. Target three, and if you find more, it’s a bonus. Make this a habit. Talk to your mentor or coach Interrupt your negative self-talk . What are you telling yourself? You get to control the message. Choose to love yourself – there are enough people in the world who will try to undercut you, be your biggest supporter.Want to be happier? Reclaim your mojo? Learn to feed your soul and fan your inner fire. Get to know yourself again and more importantly, don’t forget to believe in yourself too.
What works for you when you’ve lost your mojo? How have you found it within you again?Related:
10 Ways a Break Makes You a Better Leader and Better Human
