Have you felt lately as if you’ve lost your creative motivation? You see others producing/creating and you just feel stuck. In a rut? A bit bored. Uninterested. In a fog.
I experienced this recently and it was quite a surprise for me. I’m usually ultra-motivated. I live for accomplishment and productivity. And yet… it was gone.
I recently achieved a huge goal I had set for my life and I hadn’t thought beyond that. So after a few days of elation, I was in a major funk. Almost depressed! I listlessly floated through the motions for months upon months.
Where had my motivation gone? Where was my spark? My lust for life? I couldn’t find it. Until a flicker of an idea started lighting up in my head and I put it to use. Today I’d like to share what I did to get my mojo back. Here are:
5 Ways to Find Your Spark When You’ve Lost It
1. Start declaring what you WANT to feel and stop declaring you’re bored/you’ve lost your mojo/you’re uninspired.
Your words have tremendous power, whether you believe it or not. Your subconscious hears the thoughts you think and the words you say and soaks that up and then gets to work making that true. Commit to no longer saying or thinking that you’ve lost your spark. Instead, even if and when you don’t feel it, say: “I am fulfilled and creative. I live each day with purpose and excitement!” Some say this feels like lying to yourself or that it’s useless mumbo jumbo. But I find that people living their highest truth in love and joy don’t have time to waste criticizing techniques that may work for other people. Ignore those people and give it a try.
2. Once you’ve made the decision that you want to feel inspired/creative/enthused, WRITE it DOWN.
I love my traveler’s notebook for journaling and recording affirmations, but any journal will do! This stuff works. Seriously. Give it a try, please! Write down first how you’d LIKE to feel (whether or not you currently DO). To take this a step further, Future Journal about it. I have a post about that here which you may enjoy. This is one of my favorite and most effective techniques. I don’t say this publicly or often because it sounds cuckoo, but dreaming up new goals for my life, writing them down and then laser focusing on those things (re-reading frequently, affirming them to be true) has resulted in some WILD things coming true in my life. It’s nuts! Give it a go!
3. Cultivate discipline and concentration.
There are simply times you won’t feel like doing what needs done. Perhaps you’re trying to motivate yourself to go to the gym and it’s just not happening. Stop thinking and get up and GO. It just takes a few seconds to get up off the couch and do it. Discipline is a skill that must be learned and practiced and will produce such fulfillment and reward over the long haul. I really love listening to Dandapani on Youtube – he has great talks on how to develop concentration and discipline. As you develop these skills, your confidence will increase and you may find that you want to do the things that before, you despised. This will also develop habits which will pull you through life so much more easily than trying to drum up loads of motivation.
4. Learn to love challenge and growth
I operate under the philosophy that life is about growth. And what are challenges? Not horrible things to endure and yell at the universe about. No. They are beautiful opportunities to grow; to blossom into your best, beautiful self. You are a gorgeous, shining, radiant soul wrapped in human form. Sometimes you’ve gotta chip away at what isn’t you to reveal what’s inside. Life is about growing and so rejoice in challenge. Love it, in fact, and know it’s propelling you to where you need to go and shaping you into who you need to be. Rather than derailing you, challenges will move you forward and you’re much more likely to stay motivated and inspired by life. You can read more about this here.
5. Surround yourself with inspiring people
We become like those with whom we hang out. It’s true. One thing that helped me tremendously was attending mentor meetings. Listening to other women business owners and creatives was an incredible boost for me. It sparked new ideas, I walked away with new friends and had a fresh take on life. If I can do this (huggggge homebody introvert here), then you can too. Look on the Meetup app for interesting groups in your city and go check some out. It’s awkward as cold french toast the first time you go, but it’s so worth it in the end. If you can’t seem to find what you’re looking for in your own mind, others may be able to help.
SO now I want to hear from YOU. Which step are you going to take action on today? And if you’ve ever felt blah and uninspired in life, what did you do to regain the magic? We’d all love to hear!
XOXO
Have a delightful day.
Chandi
Chandi, your blog is so spot on. me too have experienced those funks. Mostly after working hard on reaching a major goal. I know now, at 61, that this is how it works, so I am not surprised and guilt-ridden. I know I just have to ride it out. My brain and body needs rest to recouperate. I also would like to point out that it is not always good to go find another big goal! Just make little, almost insignificant, daily goals. They work like a stairstep out of the funk. And lastly, go do something that you have never done before, get surprised, live out of the box! It will inspire you back into your creative, lively mode. My best friend has helped me a lot too, I don’t know what I would do without her. So… keep your friends close ❤️❤️❤️
Karen, I like your idea of doing something new and totally different! One’s perspective changes dramatically when you step off your normal path.
When I feel low, I pray to my Lord and also go through the grieving process and then I say to myself, you are strong and you will survive. I again pray and then sit down and gather my yarn, needles and pattern and away I go! I refuse to stay down for long!
This came at the perfect time. My husband and I have to make a big life decision soon and I’m overwhelmed and breaking things down and finding what makes me happy is key.
Thank you, once again for your timely message of encouragement! The love and energy you pour into your words is always so inspiring. Hope you’re feeling better soon!
You are guiding us to find that joy again. It helps to hear that others experience the same blockers, even you! Your 5 points are terrific! Thank you for sharing the great advice and posting it!
I too pray. I try to get outside and enjoy the birds and nature. Lately here in the northeast there is hardly any sun anymore – so much rain and clouds ugh. So I put on music! Music sings to my spirit! I dance around the kitchen :0)
I am trying to declutter lots n lots, so I try to get rid of one box or bag. Or just give in and do some crafting – reward myself even if I haven’t accomplished something that day.
And sometimes when all else fails, I read, drink tea and hide away!
Wonderful! I get these moments, as well.. I usually remember my Lord while Knitting away and sipping an herbal tea.
Before retirement I worked and managed 3 libraries in 3 different communities, always on the go and wonderfully busy busy. I loved my job, the patrons and books. Took me a year to adjust to being retired. I’m 77 now and what with the virus, the crazy goings-on in government I’ve been in a funk. Reading your mojo and get going again is really helpful. Thank-you.