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You may feel your engine is sputtering, though, with lots of starts and stops. And that’s certainly understandable.

“I’m generally one of those energetic, enthusiastic, bouncy people who loves new ideas and forward momentum,� continues Morency. I can identify with Morency’s thoughts, as I’ve often thought of myself this way.

“I welcome new beginnings and feel most alive when I’m deeply committed, passionately engaged and purposefully driven,� says Morency. “For a long time, zeal came naturally to me.

“Until it didn’t. Until I lost my zeal,� she explains. “I had no mojo, no joy, no energy. I felt as if my life was on hold.�

Losing your mojo

Many of you may be experiencing the same thing. It’s as if you can’t get any traction to move forward.

If you’re feeling this way, it’s probably been a process. This didn’t happen overnight, and you can’t flip a switch to get your mojo back. We’re so busy with our lives — juggling all the balls — that we don’t often hear that inner spirit, imploring us to follow our purpose.

“When I lost my zeal, what I really lost was an understanding of what brought me joy,� explains Morency. “I look back now and see how I used my zeal — all of that activity — as a way to escape. I was avoiding the inner dissatisfaction I was feeling.�

Early warning system

If you’re constantly feeling something is missing in your life — and you can’t quite put your finger on it — it could be YOU.

Any loss of zeal can be an early warning system — to let you know it’s time to evaluate how you’re showing up in your life. And it all begins with listening — really listening — to that still, small voice inside.

What’s important to you? Your priorities may have changed. Are you noticing shifts in your value system? What would happen if you lived into those new values?

“As I experimented, I paid attention to anything — no matter how small — that brought me joy,� explains Morency. “I looked beyond what I was ‘good at’ — and focused on what felt fun and freeing.

“I took up piano and started writing songs,� Morency continued. “Honestly, not much joy was there. But singing? That brought me so much joy. And riding my bike opened my heart.�

Sustaining joy

I’ve interviewed a lot of people in my career — both as a researcher and a television host — about the concept of living life fully. The same themes always emerge. Why does it take a life-threatening illness or accident for us to appreciate life as we go along?

We’ve all heard the stories of hostages who are released, and they’re so grateful just to see the blue sky and touch the green grass. Similarly, after an illness, we’re so thankful to be feeling normal.

Then we resume our regular routines and find ourselves complaining about trivial things once again. Why can’t we sustain that sense of gratitude and awe?

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not suggesting you strive to live continuously by the platitudes of “stop and smell the roses� or “don’t sweat the small stuff.� After all, it’s the contrasts in life that create the depth of our experiences and weave the rich tapestries.

Settling for less

Awareness is the key. If you continue to go about your daily life ignoring your inner messages, those gnawing questions are likely to come up again and again.

Are you settling for less in a relationship or a job? Will you ever be able to communicate effectively with your children, parents, siblings or coworkers? Taking baby steps to set healthy boundaries can work wonders in terms of reclaiming your spirit.

Then you may be able to turn your attention to pickleball, painting, writing or gardening. Maybe you need to dust off that guitar in the closet — or those golf clubs in the garage. You might feel yourself getting into gear about submitting that new business proposal or mapping out “Act Two� in your life.

Feeding your soul

Have you been putting off your dreams because you can’t see any way to get there? Mostly, though, it’s fear that keeps us frozen in our dreams. The dream may seem so far off — and the steps to get there so overwhelming.

Instead of looking externally for other people or situations to make you feel better, inquire within. What’s one thing you could do today to feed your soul? It doesn’t take much. Often, our inner spirits are so starved they’re happy with just a few crumbs.

Surf the Internet for an article on something that’s been speaking to you. Or go to a bookstore or library. And then the real fun begins. You’ll start to notice things around you that speak to your passion — a blurb on TV or a passage in a book — those amazing “coincidences.�

Making your spirit soar

“Igniting your zeal is about listening to what makes your heart sing,� says Morency. “When I find myself feeling low on energy and enthusiasm, the first thing I do now is listen. What do I need to realign? What have I forgotten? What do I need to discover that will bring me joy?�

Feeding your soul — even just a few bites at a time — can work wonders. Just remember to be gentle with yourself. Take it one day at a time and notice any subtle changes. Then build upon them.

If it’s you that has been missing in your life, try showing up a little more often!