Tomorrow is International Happiness Day 2021, which is a chance to reflect and an excuse to go out and seek some joy. Here are my top tips to ‘feel the mojo’. The mojo is always there, sometimes you just need to wake it up.
Acceptance – I spoke during my Tedx talk, about the power of self compassion and acceptance. This is SO important. Check in with your feelings and know that they are valid and pour compassion on yourself. I had the pleasure to interview the guru of compassion based therapy, Professor Paul Gilbert OBE, listen in here and countless research shows how important self compassion is. I have worked hard to apply it as part of my own wellness plan and it works. But it is a daily thing to do. If you were going into battle, and sometimes this life can feel like a battle, you would want a positive coach in your mind who had your back. Not a nasty critic. Every day, I work hard to coach myself and be kind to myself. There are SO many toolkits we can use.
Breathe in and smell nature
I spoke on BBC radio today about taking time to stop and smell the roses or the blossoms this spring. Nevermind Spring blossom, this week we have experienced beautiful sunshine in Scotland and I have been breathing in the smell of Summer aka suncream and bbq’s. It’s true that scent can instantly take us back in our minds to happy places, such as the beach or jumping into a cold pool or lake on a hot day. I have been smelling my way to happiness this week. Our senses are an amazing gift and we should be thankful for all of them or the ones that we have. Growing up with a Dad who is registered blind and has been since he was 19 years old, gave me such an appreciation of the simple things.
Give
Giving isn’t just about money. Giving someone your time, energy and ideas can make a huge impact. Every day we have an opportunity to make a huge difference to people’s lives and it doesn’t have to be complicated. The small things can be the big things. A text to check in on someone, a small gesture such as writing a card, sending some flowers or inviting someone to go for a walk or come to your garden for a chat.
Being in the moment
As mentioned above, we can do this via our senses such as smelling in those wonderful memories or moments. Every day we can choose to check in and be there fully, be that appreciating a nice chair to sit on, spotting a butterfly, a squirrel or robin (seen all 3 this week and enjoyed these moments). I love to sit outside at night and enjoy the sunset or the stars and simply be still. With the kids back at school, I have also loved doing a little meditation as part of my morning routine and some breathing work. I have found that the more I do the Wim Hoff breathing, the easier the cold water is. Cold water is one amazing mojo injection when it comes to feeling alive. The cold forces us to generate heat in our bodies and this feeling is so empowering and such an amazing reminder of how amazing our bodies are.
Keep learning
There are so many ways we can learn new skills, through reading, listening to podcasts, attending courses. Life is always more exciting and satisfying when we are making progress and learning. Always stay curious and have something to look forward to. Taking mini adventures, until we can travel and experience more, is also a great way of learning. I have started to mix up my routine a little by walking different routes from the usual and throwing a little spontaneity into the mix.
Treat yourself
I have always really appreciated good food, my Mum tells me since I was a little child. Tonight, by the time this goes live, I will have cooked up some gorgeous lobster, crab and steak and all the sides and sauces from the amazing HAAR restaurant (check out my Instagram to see all the food porn). I had my first covid jag earlier today so great timing to receive this epic foodie sensation box of joy. I can’t wait to jump in. Sometimes it is nice to treat yourself in a way that brings you joy. I was asked on the radio earlier which emoji I use the most and whilst there are lots of thumbs up, high fives and fires/fireworks in my ‘most used’ there are also lots of drools.
You got this.
Jojo Fraser is an award winning author, coach, podcaster and motivational/TEDX speaker. She has been a mental health researcher for the past 7 years and helps to empower, motivate and uplift the leaders she works with. She is known for her straight talking and bold approach. Her mission is simple – to normalise what many see as ‘the hard’ conversations and in breaking the stigma, save many lives.
She is a regular speaker on BBC Radio, a keen foodie, lover of trail running, wild swimming, spa days and she loves to sing. Jojo writes about all things mindfulness, relationships, positive psychology and lifestyle.
Tune into her daily stories on Instagram @jojofrasermojo and Facebook @jojofrasermojo.
You can purchase her first book here.
