The mind detox

The festive period is a busy one, and come January many of us that we just can’t tolerate much more. That’s where the mind detox comes in

Magazine pages will be full of it. Front covers will be shouting it. And all your friends will be attempting or pretending to do it. We’re talking about the detox. You’ll be surrounded by people who are full of ideas to cleanse and detox the body, but what about the concept of detoxing the mind? January is a time of new starts, and part of the month of focus and renewal should be preparing ourselves to take on the challenges of the year in the most positive state of mind possible.

Rather than throwing yourself into a rigorous gym routine, cutting down on carbs and writing epic, long to-do lists, why not mark out the month of January as Mind Month, when you replenish and revitalise your mind ready for the year ahead?

Week 1 – Treat yourself

‘A detox involving treats?’ you ask. ‘How can this be?!’ A big part of being in a positive frame of mind comes from looking after yourself. Spa experiences can be pretty pricey, especially during the penny-pinching new year period, why not create your own spa experience? Run a warm bath, fill it with a luxurious product (maybe from under the Christmas tree), light candles and lay back and relax. Notice the scent of the products, the warmth of the water on your skin and the soft light of the candles. Rub a nice body lotion into your skin, massaging slowly and deeply. And lock the door – this is your time!

Week 2 – Meditation

Transforming the mind to acknowledge thoughts and allowing them to pass sounds simple but can be a real challenge. Many new year’s resolutions focus on deprivation or not doing something, which can lead to feeling depressed. Meditation comes from a different space, and according to Arti from London’s Inner Space, it’s about using ‘energy to grow rather than stop.’ A regular practice assists with concentration and clarity and ‘helps you to relax and achieve focus, supporting you to affirm your intentions and move to a positive space.’ Visit Inner Space, sign up to their short evening sessions that focus on different aspects of self-development and meditation and subscribe to their email newsletter for words of wisdom to consider on a daily basis. Various apps exist to help people on their way, too.

Week 3 – Diary

You may have heard many fitness gurus recommend marking time out in the diary for gym visits. The idea is that by allocating a specific time to exercise and making it as important as any other appointment, you’ll be more inclined to stick to it. The same can be said of ‘me time.’ Taking time for yourself is hugely important, but so many of us neglect it in the face of other, apparently more pressing, tasks. In Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, he stresses the importance of taking time to ‘sharpen the saw,’ by which he means repairing and looking after the assets that enable us to function. Susan Jeffers, author of Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway, diarised mini holidays, ensuring that for at least an hour a day she’d take time to do something for herself, be that have a bath, read a magazine or simply nap. When the mind and body are functioning to a greater capacity, we can give our all to our own lives and the people within it.

Week 4 – Connect

The yogic principle of saucha affirms that the expression of the spirit increases in proportion to the development of the mind and body in which it is encased, and that all three aspects need to be nurtured to achieve a balanced state. Yoga is a fantastic way of exercising both the mind and body and aligning the two, to achieve a state of balance and alignment. Rather than fighting against the body and trying to force it into certain constraints or states, we should work with it. As Indra Kubichek, who runs yoga network Om Exchange, says, ‘yoga teaches us to turn inward and focus. As we connect breath to movement in the poses, we shift out of the fight or flight system, which creates stress in the body, to a more relaxed physical state. We come into complete balance.’ 2015 will be a far easier experience if we work with our bodies than against them.
This January, instead of restricting and denying, why not use your detox time to rejuvenate the mind and body, storing up your reserves and building energy. A healthy mind and a healthy body make for a powerful team, and a happy and successful 2015.