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Happy New Year, Lads and Lasses! Welcome to a clean calendar of unlimited possibility!
Did you think I was going to write about New Year's Resolutions today? Well, the idea of "Resolutionizing" has never really tickled my fancy.
Why am I not ticklish in my resolutions, you ask? Well, because I like to win, of course! I'm much too sore of a loser to put myself in a situation that is inevitably bound to not work.
If I commit to major lifestyle changes simply because the last digit of the date has changed (without explicitly naming all the reasons WHY I'm making the changes, WHAT I am sacrificing, and HOW I'm going to approach the challenges that will inevitably arise), then my "Resolution" is bound to fall flat on its face before January becomes February.
HO-HO-HO--I've got much too much pride for that! The traditional concept of "New Year's Resolutions" sounds to me like a reliable way to feel badly about myself from February through December.
Thanks but no thanks, Resolutions Committee! :)
[Important side note: I DO, howevah, encourage regular life review and systematic goal setting. LMK if you want me to write about how I approach that.]
So where does this leave me on this fine New Year's Mornin'? While I don't believe a new calendar is motivation enough to keep us committed to our commitments, I DO feel that a new year is as perfect a time as any to clean our slates and make sure that our bodies, minds, spirits and spaces are optimized to receive and nourish our ideal lives.
This year, for the first time ever, I'm doing a major one-week deep-cleaning of the Mind, Body, and Soul. Join me, won't ya? :)
Here's the dilly-o:
"Fun" Shui for the Win
I know almost nothing about the art of Fung Shui except the fact that I believe in it. Clear the clutter so that good things (thoughts, energy, abundance, activity, etc) can flow more easily?
Yup. I'm buying that.
As I understand it, the REAL art of Fung Shui is fairly specific, so I've adapted a practice that I call "Fun" Shui.
Here's how "Fun" Shui'ing works: 1) get rid of crap that doesn't serve you, 2) Feel better.
Fun Shui is most easily understood in its application towards overflowing closets and junk drawers, but as you implement it, you'll notice it's also perfect for virtual, psychological and spiritual crap as well.
Below are some suggestions for Fun Shui'ing different areas of your life.
PSA: Before you get to feeling badly about yourself via social comparisons (HEY--that's MY m.o.!!), please know that many of these suggestions are not even making it into my own Supah Cleanse.
And whenever I write "you," I pretty much mean, "I."
A) Fun Shui'ing your SPACE:
Declutter closets, drawers, cabinets, desk, office, in-box, medicine bin, car, diaper bag, purse, coat pockets, gym bag, attic, garage, storage space, fridge, freezer and/or other receptacles of clutter.
Paint walls a lighter, more uplifting color.
Hang photos or quotes that make you smile or inspire you.
Get your email in-box to zero.
Move last year's photos off your computer (keep all digital files in at least 2 locations!)
Get rid of magazines, newsletters, etc, that you've intended to read but haven't. New ones will come.
Shred old documents in filing cabinets.
Fly through the pile of to-do's that is forever waiting for you. If it's unimportant and not urgent, trash it.
B) Fun Shui'ing your MIND:
Exercise. (Consistency is more important than intensity.)
Set an appointment with a life coach / mentor / therapist / insert preferred term here.
Begin a daily meditation practice (or increase the amount of time you meditate per day.)
Take a nap.
Take a bath.
Take a breath.
And another.
Do a brain dump: 1) write everything that is in your head onto a piece of paper. Let it flow. Really dump it out. 2) Cross out the things that are not serving you. (Commit to not letting these thoughts complete themselves in your brain any more.) 3) For everything else, decide the one small next step you can take to address that issue or goal, and CALENDAR IT. 4) Sigh relief. This is an awesome exercise.
Exercise.
Practice gratitude. (Write down 5 things you're grateful for every day. Or every week. Frequency doesn't matter as much as writing 'em does.)
Remove or hide from your news feed anyone on social media who posts negative updates or otherwise elicits negative feelings in you.
Get out in nature.
Mark "No Plans Land" on your calendar. Reserve time to just BE. That means no plans, no phone, no computer. Quality time for just you and your heart and (maybe) your loved ones.
Schedule a phone conversation with someone you love.
Do nice things for people.
Did I mention exercise?
C) Fun Shui'ing your BODY:
Has exercise landed on this list yet?
Consider a juice cleanse. (I'm gonna do Kris Carr's ONE DAY Crazy Sexy Juice Cleanse.)
Juice cleanse too intense? Then just clear the crap outta your pantry.
Eliminate alcohol, dairy, refined foods, caffeine, and/or sugar from you diet. Not willing to make a permanent commitment? Just do it for a week.
Yoga.
Massage.
Exfoliation.
Hair cut?
Enema? Seriously
D) Fun Shui'ing your SOUL:
See all of the above, especially meditation, exercise, gratitude, nature, nutrition, generosity, sleep, and connection.
Consider a social media and television detox. Fret not: it doesn't have to be permanent.
Choose favorite mantras and use them.
Meditate on what nurtures YOUR spirit. Gardening? Cooking? Physical intimacy? Prayer? Yoga? Juggling? Whatever it is, CALENDAR IT. Regularly.
Laugh.
Egads! I have tons more thoughts, but this post got offensively long. I'll be back tomorrow (via auto-post, since I'll be CLEANSING) with a bonus post containing more suggestions for planning your cleanse.
In the meantime, WHO'S WITH ME?? :) Let's TRASH the idea of take-em-or-leave-em New Years Resolutions and embrace lifestyle COMMITMENTS instead. Our happiness, our integrity, our relationships and our ideal lives depend on it.
After our New Year's Fun Shui Cleanse, we will be ready (mind, body and spirit) to shed our old snake skins and become the vibrant butterflies we were meant to become…in 2013, and beyond.
Happiest of New Years, Friends!!
Love and light, Bethany
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Have any cleansing ideas to add?
Have any questions regarding goal setting, planning, etc?
How are you approaching the new year?
I love to hear from you! :)
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