This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
We really enjoy reading Lesley Greenwood’s positive posts. She understands and celebrates the nuances of women over 50. Check out her previous articles on how to have a positive mindset and mindfulness. Here’s her piece on that mysterious thing we call our mojo…
Sometimes in life for no particular reason at all we all lose our mojo – Motivational Joy, Joie De Vivre, Raison d’etre… Mojo is sometimes hard to define. But it’s that wonderful feeling of wanting to jump out of bed of a morning and seize the day! So, where did my mojo go?
How to get it back is the key to a happy life. We can’t all be in the 100% happy zone all times of the day. That is not what life is about. In order to feel and experience the good times, we have to endure the hardships of life – the troughs, sadness, grief and disappointments.
However keeping upbeat and trying to see life in a really positive light can build resilience for those darker days.
For example, concentrating on a hobby or activity that has given you great joy and contentment in the past can help reignite that feeling if it’s lost.
Start by thinking how your activity made you feel. The pleasure and sense of wellbeing you attained from it.
If you haven’t partaken in the activity for a while, start at the beginning again and reflect on the good feelings it brings.
I’m not a great one for writing a diary as I always seem to run out of time. But having a little notebook next to your bed to write down feelings of positivity that you’ve experienced at the end of a special day, can help you remember in the future what brings you happiness.
You may be surprised, at the little things that bring great joy. A walk in the woods on a fresh Autumn morning. The sun setting over the horizon in the evening. Picking fruit and making a dessert. Or perhaps a long chat with an old friend. All of these things can give you a wonderful warm feeling.
I lost my mojo after running the London Marathon age 52 in 2017. I thought I would want to continue running after it but, sadly, looking back I think my mind and body were just so tired. So, to find my mojo again, I went right back to the beginning and did a 5k park run through a beautiful forest. After completing it, my memory was triggered – all those feelings and emotions about why I run came flooding back. I realised that I run because it makes me feel alive! That’s mojo!
So if you’ve lost your mojo, go back to basics and reflect on the things that give you the most satisfaction, pleasure and happiness. Perhaps read the little messages you wrote to yourself on the days that were so fulfilling and joyous!
But remember life is about the peaks and the troughs, so don’t worry if your mojo disappears every now and then. You have the power within you to get it back!