Girl Talk: Hello, where art thou mojo?

I have always been the type of girl who positively champs at the bit to get into a new work year, itching to put pen to paper, brimming with new ideas and energised by the prospect of charting new territory. This year? Um, not so much.

After experiencing major burnout last year, aided by more than a few unfortunate events that snowballed to Mount Everest proportions, I could barely muster the energy to write a list of new year's resolutions (okay, I did). Perhaps you felt the same way?

Not one to wallow in puddles of self-pity, I created a sort of self-motivation project drawing on a few helpful resources to help me fire up my mojo. Some are glossy stock-standard; others are more personal; others reek of GOOPiness. But if you're struggling to locate your enthusiasm, they might help you, too.

1. The Self-Help Book
A cliche, I know. But somehow the right one landed in my lap just as I was about to throw my hands up in the air and yell, "I give up!". In the past, I've drawn on the likes of Susan Jeffers' Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway, Dr Sarah Edelman's Change Your Thinking, Gary Bertwistle's Who Stole My Mojo and Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life. There's a great book out in February called Making $#it Happen by Peter Sheahan ($34.95; Random House) that I plan on getting into, too.

But during my wee summer break, I borrowed Erik Rees' S.H.A.P.E - Finding & Fulfilling Your Unique PURPOSE For LIFE from my father-in-law, squirreling it away and scribbling notes down in a journal. Essentially, Rees helps you hone in on your God-given gifts (i.e. 'your sweet spot') in order to help you plan for a life/career/service more in line with your natural abilities, personality, passions and experiences. It's full of inspirational quotes, work sheets and life anecdotes. I intend to refer back to my notes when I lose my way this year (wouldn't it be nice not to!).

2. The Inspiration Board
Cliche #2! But this works. Refreshing my cork board with new pictures, postcards, words of inspiration and assorted visual stimuli is a fun project and way to get the creative juices flowing. Ta-da!


3. The Inspiring Blogs
There are oodles of them out there, and all my favourites make an appearance in the right-hand sidebar, but there are a few special ones I return to time and time again for dashes of positivity, perspective and prettiness. Mark Sayers has a knack for cutting through the ephemeral pop-culture clutter to remind me of the more eternally important things; Garance Dore is an absolute go-to for eye candy; Natalie Walton has created a haven for creative types at Daily Imprint; and Meet Me At Mikes is like having coffee with a cherished friend. Respite and inspiration them all.


4. The New Stationery
A pencil case flush with new pens, crisp new notebooks, a blank diary... there are few things more satisfying for me than buying new stationery supplies. This year I bought my handbag-friendly diary at Kikki-K, but I've also been perusing Borders ('What's your poo telling you?' 2o10 calendar, anyone?) and Pulp Creative Paper (notebooks, sketchbooks, stationery sets and paper for covering exercise books).
5. The Playlist
Taste in music, like men, is such a subjective thing, yet everyone thinks their music is the height of sophistication and coolness. I do not. I know my taste is naff. I never heard a Mandy Moore song I didn't like. So if you're of the same persuasion, you might like this girlie motivational playlist...

6. The Little Book of Blessings
If you have a tendency to catastrophise like moi, or work from home without companionship to rely on in times of emotional distress, I recommend jotting down all the good things you're blessed with (people, pets, money, gifts, food, compliments, nice emails, letters, work commissions, new jobs, travel opportunities, books, shoes in your size on sale...) in a little book to turn to in times of need. Oprah might call it a gratitude list, others might call it GETTING PERSPECTIVE, but there's nothing so reassuring as reminding yourself of the positives to stamp out those blasted negative thoughts (shut-up, self-critic, and pooh-pooh to you, anonymous haters!). Of course, as Girlfriend suggests, the ultimate way to bless yourself is to bless others (aka pay it forward), so these are nice to jot down, too. Watch the karma multiply and your mojo fire up like a Lamborghini Murciélago LP670-4 SV!

So, all this material-type stuff has been super-helpful, but the most effective means for firing up my new-year mojo? A coffee, clearing out the office, a good chat with a Godly woman called Gloria and an email from a dear friend saying, "Keep your chin up, buttercup". Here's to a fruitful, creative and groundbreaking 2010!

Main pic from Emma Thomson's Felicity Wishes.

Yours truly,
Girl With a Satchel