How I Rebuilt Motivation After 50 When My Spark Was Gone

There was a stretch of about five years in my life where everything felt heavy.

Both of my parents passed away within that time. In between those losses, I went through breast cancer and the surgeries and treatments that come with it. By the time I came out the other side, I didn’t feel like the same person anymore. I needed some motivation after 50.

My body didn’t feel the same. My energy wasn’t the same. Even my outlook on life had changed.

I wasn’t just tired. I felt emotionally overloaded.

There were details to handle, decisions to make, and grief that seemed to come in waves. Some days I felt sad. Some days I felt overwhelmed. And many days I just felt unmotivated to do much of anything.

Not because I didn’t care about life.

But because I felt worn down by it.

When You Don’t Feel Like Yourself Anymore

One of the hardest parts of that time was realizing my body had changed.

After surgeries, my body didn’t look the same and it didn’t feel the same either. My chest muscles felt tight and withdrawn, almost like my body was trying to protect itself from everything it had been through.

I didn’t feel physically strong anymore.

Emotionally, I felt the same way.

Motivation was the last thing on my mind. Most days I was just trying to get through everything that needed to be handled.

The Moment Something Shifted

The turning point didn’t come from a motivational speech or a sudden burst of energy.

It came from water.

I have always loved swimming and being in the water. One day I went to the neighborhood pool and slipped into the deep end.

I started by simply treading water.

Nothing intense. Just keeping my body afloat while slowly pulling my arms through the water.

As I moved my arms back and forth, something started happening in my chest. The tight muscles that had felt locked up for so long began to open.

The feeling was incredible.

For the first time in a long time, my body felt like it could stretch and move again.

And simply moving in the water, weightless and surrounded by quiet, I started crying.

Not from sadness.

From relief.

The cool water, the silence, the simple movement of my arms—it all felt so good. For those few moments I wasn’t thinking about everything that had happened.

I was just experiencing the moment.

Curiosity Came Back Before Motivation

That day didn’t fix everything.

But it reminded me of something important.

I still had things in my life that brought me joy.

Swimming was one of them.

Knitting was another.

During those difficult years, I had also started learning how to livestream. I created a knitting show on the internet where I would knit and talk with viewers who joined me each day.

At the time, it helped me stay connected with people while I physically felt very sick.

What surprised me was how much I enjoyed learning the technical side of it.

I was figuring out livestream software, cameras, lighting, and how to grow a small online audience. Then I started applying those skills to my knitting world.

I realized I could build a knitting business without having to sell the physical items I made.

Learning those new skills sparked something in me again.

An Unexpected Discovery

One thing that surprised me during that time was how well livestreaming worked for my personality.

I’m an introvert.

The idea of talking to people every day might sound exhausting. But the format was different. I was still alone in my office, knitting and talking while people joined the conversation from wherever they were.

Over time, the audience grew.

And I found myself doing something I never expected: maintaining conversations with people all over the world while I quietly knit in my own space.

It felt natural in a way I hadn’t anticipated.

Motivation after 50 Looks Different Now

Today, I’m still learning new things.

I’m figuring out how to grow my knitting YouTube channel. I’m learning how to be an Amazon Influencer. I’ve started blogs and continue experimenting with ways to build something meaningful online.

I don’t feel like I have everything figured out.

But I no longer feel stuck.

Motivation doesn’t show up for me as a sudden surge of energy. It shows up as curiosity.

Trying something new.

Learning a skill I didn’t have before.

Building something slowly over time.

And making room for the things that genuinely make me happy—like knitting and spending time in the water.

What I Would Tell Someone Who Feels Stuck

If you’re feeling stuck right now, I understand that feeling more than you might think.

The best advice I can offer is simple:

Find one thing you enjoy, and do it more.

It doesn’t have to be dramatic. It doesn’t have to change your whole life overnight.

Sometimes it starts with something as simple as stepping into a quiet pool and letting your body float.

That small moment can be enough to remind you that the spark is still there.

Want to continue reading my story and discover how I went through an Identity Shift after turning 50. Or my article about Taking Naps in unexpected places.