Today I’m kicking off a 10-day detox. Since my theme of the year has been Ease and Flow, I’m designing a plan that will delight my soul and make the process feel more like fun and less like punishment. One of my objectives is to give my liver and digestive system a break from all of my birthday and holiday festivities. An equally important intention is to create an opportunity to provide both respite and a reset for my nervous system, mind, and emotions. Detoxing is often associated with things that we must stop doing. In addition to this intentional practice of elimination, I also like to think of it as a time to add or increase the consumption of the things that nourish and replenish us physically, mentally, and emotionally. Here are some strategies to support you as you design your own customized plan to detoxify your days. Sentiment Swap. Begin your planning by making a Reduce and Release list of the things you’ve been consuming that may be causing you harm, or simply aren’t adding value or moving the needle toward the life you want to be living. In addition to literal things like foods you want to reduce or eliminate, also list habits, behaviors, or emotions that you want to examine and assess. My list includes things like processed snacks, mindless social media scrolling, and feelings of resentment, anger, or worry. Instead of trying to numb these emotions with food and drink, or avoid them with mindless activities, I allow myself to feel them. I then identify what emotions I want to swap them out for once they’ve finished communicating the messages they came to deliver. What emotions do you want to explore, and what will you exchange them for once you’ve worked through their purpose for paying you a visit? Replace to Replenish. To deepen your detox work, create another list that includes the things you want to add to your days to replace what you’ve released. This list should also include ways that you will replenish, increase, or enhance your wellbeing. Again, this might look like adding more nourishing food and beverages to your diet, but it also means more conscious consumption when it comes to your digital habits, media in all of its forms, and your participation in certain types of conversations. My list includes increased hydration and sleep, as well as more creative and mentally stimulating activities like painting and assembling puzzles. What’s on your Replace to Replenish list? Nourishment Needs Assessment. Everything we consume serves a purpose or meets a need. After examining my Reduce and Release list of things I want to cut back on or eliminate during my detox days, I matched them with things from my Replace and Replenish list that would meet those same purposes and needs in a more nourishing way. For example, I use wine and processed snacks to help me unwind after an intense workday. The underlying need here is to rest, destress, and quiet my mind. Since I’m going to release those things during my detox days, I will use some amazing herbal teas that I found which serve the specific purposes of reducing stress and supporting more restful sleep. What are the underlying needs behind the behaviors you want to reduce or eliminate? What healthy alternative can you use to meet those needs? This week I challenge you to identify a few delightful ways to design and detoxify your days. Manifestation Affirmations I release resentment, anger, and worry, and replace them with acceptance, empathy, and crazy faith. I am consciously consuming things that replenish me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I am meeting my needs in healthy and nourishing ways.
Kommentare