How My Other Creative Outlet Helped Me Get My Mojo Back

Music has always brought me so much joy. I was that little girl dancing and singing to Madonna in my bedroom, using my hairbrush as a microphone. I would lock myself in my room on a Sunday night, cassette tape at the ready to record my favourite songs from the weekly Top 40 on the radio, hoping to avoid the DJ talking over the end of the song. Yes, Gen X’er here, and I am certainly showing my age. 

To this day, if I need a pick me up, music is my go-to remedy. It lifts my mood every single time, without fail. It inspires me, motivates me, and gives me energy.

I have always been creative and very much into the arts. In high school, I sang, performed in the yearly musical theatre production, and of course, loved and excelled at English. I would be the one trying to get out of PE (sport) to hold an impromptu rehearsal or read a book under a tree. 

Then, I left school and studied nursing. The writing continued for many years in the form of poetry and journaling, but as many of you know, I didn’t publish my first book until I was forty-four. Music was always a constant companion, but life got in the way. I stopped singing; I stopped acting, and before I knew it, over thirty years had flown by in the blink of an eye.  

When I sadly suddenly lost my dad in 2013, I knew I had to get the book I had in my head written. I started writing it in 2017 and published it in 2020. I am about to publish my third book on Halloween. 

My Books

Although I continued plodding along putting pen to paper, about two years ago, perimenopause hit, and in the last six to twelve months I have really struggled to find the joy in things I used to love, sadly my writing included. I have always been a happy, outgoing, confident, extrovert and perimenopause has slowly been stripping away all the things that made me me. 

The negative mental and emotional symptoms that can affect people in perimenopause hit me like a freight train. I write light-hearted humorous stories, so feeling low was not conducive to writing my books. I needed something in my life that would make me happy, and I knew I would enjoy it. I didn’t recognise the unmotivated, sad individual I saw staring back at me in the mirror. She had lost her confidence and lacked self-esteem. 

I had been thinking about getting back into singing for years but did nothing about it. Around February this year I was chatting to a workmate, and she told me she belonged to a musical theatre choir. I told her if there was such a thing near me, I would join. 

That’s when she said, ‘There’s an Adult Glee Club near you in the lower Blue Mountains.’ My response was, ‘There’s such a thing as an Adult Glee Club? Sign me up right now.’ I discovered there were clubs all over Sydney.

I got home that night and googled it. My closest club was only a fifteen-minute drive from my front door, so I booked a ticket for their next trial night in April. I went along not knowing what to expect, and what I found was pure joy. 

Blue Mountains Glee Club

Left- Gina, our wonderful Music Director Right- Bec, our fabulous Social Co-Ordinator

I forgot how much I enjoyed singing in a group. Adult Glee Clubs were founded to bring happiness to people who enjoy singing. There is no judgement, just support, friendship, a wonderful sense of community, and of course lots of great music from all different genres. 

Since I joined Glee Club, I have more motivation; I smile a lot more, and it gives me something to look forward to every week. They are a great bunch of people. We have lots of fun, lots of laughs, and all support each other to harmonise and fill the room with beautiful music. 

Last weekend we performed in the annual concert alongside other Glee Clubs and I had an absolute ball. A night full of music, fun, comradery, and shining light.

Concert

Concert

Blue Mountains crew waiting backstage

I had been finding it difficult to move forward with a book I have been writing for three years and struggling to come up with ideas for a new story. Since joining Glee Club, I am pleased to report that both my lifted mood and the joy it brings me have given me my writing mojo back. 

Perimenopause will continue to kick my butt in so many ways I hadn’t imagined possible, but my love of music and sharing the joy it can bring with others will continue to inspire and motivate me to keep bringing you more stories. 

The power of music is a force to be reckoned with. I am grateful I have found this fabulous community.