Getting Your Mojo Back

Even the most seemingly confident of people can have a wobble, a sense of not being at their best.  For some it can feel like a bigger tumble or roadblock; something, or a series of things, that have knocked them down or are getting in their way.  And sometimes it can be a change in circumstance; even for positive reasons; a promotion, a baby, a relocation.  The impact of these changes can often be short-lived, and you can snap out of it, other times it may feel like a more lasting shift; changes in your confidence, a reduction in your ambition, a quietening of your voice… in short, your mojo is missing.  But it doesn’t have to be a permanent change. You can get your mojo back and here is your starter for ten:

1.     Know yourself

Try as you may, it is near impossible to be at your best when large portions of your life are played out in environments that are not aligned with your values – the things that are core to you.  By the same token, continually doing things that don’t play to your strengths or are things from which you derive little joy, will eventually grind you down. I lost my mojo immediately after having both my kids – the new-born phase and I are just not meant to be.  But it was only a phase, and having gone through it the first time I was more prepared the second time around; I knew how important certain aspects were for me to feel more confident and in control and I could put them in place much quicker.

Think about the main elements of your life and think about how aligned those environments and the people within them are to what matters to you, to your values and beliefs.  If you’re missing too many of the things that are important to you or the opportunities to be and do your best things, it will always appear the mountain is too steep to climb.

2.     Practice, practice, practice

You were only born with two ‘skills’ – crying and filling a nappy, even feeding was something that required some practice. However, in your adult life you are the master of 1000s of different skills – all of them learnt.  Some very easily and some after years and years – but either way, for the most part, you set out to acquire your new skill or piece of information and you practiced.  If you’re returning to something you haven’t done for a while think how you can flex that skill, take it out for a run and remind yourself how to do it and how it feels.  And if it’s something new, how can you best learn it and who do you know who could help you?  Practice the things that you want to be doing more of; read about them, talk to people who have already mastered them, and give them a go for yourself in an environment that you control.  

3.     Find your cheerleaders

It’s okay to wallow sometimes – and with the current situation you’d be forgiven if you are somewhat less perky than usual – but focusing on the positives in your discussions and thoughts really does pay dividends. Think about who you are investing your time with; who are you having those virtual vinos with? Which colleagues are you immediately calling after your team meeting to debrief? We all have people in life who support us; for some, like our young children, it’s blind adoration, but others are able to be more helpful in their support and provide a level of objectivity.  Think of colleagues, past and present, that have been in your corner, old friends who have known you at your best and worst, or perhaps it’s your siblings; establish who your cheerleaders are and prioritise time spent with them. They can help you remember the things you are stellar at and remind you of the things you have overcome successfully before. Use their energy to help reboot your mojo and regain the confidence you are missing.

4.     Invest in rest

It’s no surprise that you feel more positive and back yourself to achieve things after a good night’s sleep, we all know sleep is important.  And if your mojo is missing, chances are your sleep is poor; most likely, you are not getting enough of it.  If you’re like me, after a long day of work and once the kids are asleep, I want to have some me time in the evening and so an early night sometimes feels like I’m being robbed of that precious time.  But getting into healthy sleep habits has boosted my energy, focus and confidence – really helping me with the drive I need to keep going with even the trickiest or most draining of tasks.  Try keeping a note of your sleep patterns for two weeks and think what you could do to give yourself some more quality snooze time. 

5.     An off moment doesn’t meet its all off

Of course, there will be off days, maybe even weeks – colleagues who are particularly challenging, clients who are increasingly demanding or kids that won’t give you just 5minutes to yourself… but don’t let a blip become more than that; don’t let it become all-consuming and bleed into every area of your life. Just because you feel like this today doesn’t mean you will feel like that tomorrow.  Just because you didn’t nail the thing you wanted this week doesn’t mean you never will. Human beings are phenomenally resilient, and your mojo is there to be coaxed back out. You will bounce back, and you will be stronger for it.

To find out more about how you can get your mojo back, get in touch today on alice@seamarkconsulting.co.uk