How To Get Your Mo Jo Back

I had this great conversation with a friend on Friday night. We are all at the wonderful age where we have raised our children, build our careers and now have time to think about what we want to do. Yet, we have all hit a wall and are not feeling that terribly excited about life these days. What causes this inertia? We have built strong routines and habits and they take over all the daily choices we make.

I’m not against routines…they play a part in our success. The operative word here is “part.” They are not the whole life, but rather a part of our lives. Yet for most of us, routines and habits are 95% of how we spend our time. That’s when we lose our “Mo Jo.”

What does “Mo Jo” mean? There are several interpretations. From Africa, it’s a small bag that contains herbs that are to bring luck to the wearer. In the 60s, it became associated with sexual prowess. In my view “Mo Jo” is our life force, the energy we create and share with the world.

This lost of “Mo Jo” comes at any age. Do you find yourself doing the same old thing everyday and not knowing how to get out of the rut? How do you know you have lost your “Mo Jo?” You feel tired, burned out, bored, depressed or just not that excited about anything. You function in your day but there are really no good feelings that surface up.

I know all of the excuses for not working on getting your “Mo Jo” back…mainly because I’ve used them or still try to have them express why I can’t change. So who is in charge of my life…I am.

How do we get our “Mo Jo” back? For me, it’s as simple as doing one small change each day.

• Planning a 4-hour retreat away from our “to do “list and actually doing something different.
• Creating a list of what you want to do…big and small. The small actions really help us get our “Mo Jo” back.
• Take an email break – don’t look at it for a day.
• If you buy the same lunch, get something different.
• Clothes – go into your closet and mix and match different clothes together. This is amazing how different you feel just by changing your combination of clothes. How many of us just grab the same tops and bottoms together. Even changing your pocketbook makes a difference.
• Exercising – taking a daily 10-minute walk and try different directions.
• Learn to celebrate all the good things you do in life. If you helped someone at work, home or a stranger, change your thoughts and smile at yourself, recognizing the goodness within you. The more you do this small act, the more your “Mo Jo” will increase.
• There is always a different way to do something. If you can’t get out of your rut, then find support – life coach or a “Mo Jo” buddy who also wants to add excitement back into their lives.
• …the list is endless. We are the creators of change in our lives.

When I’m not listening to myself and doing what makes me feel good, my life feels like a grind. When I decide to get out of my comfort zone and try something different, I’m feeling lighter, more excited and proud of myself for taking even a small risk. There is a smile in my heart.

Start small and do a small change every day and you will reap the benefits and build more joy into your life. Are you ready to get your “Mo Jo” back?

Pat
“To fully enjoy the ‘richness’ of our lives, we need to stop long enough to visit with ourselves.”
(Pat Brill)

Tags: change, comfort zone

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