Spring is the time of year when we naturally have that ‘out with the old, in with the new’ kinda feeling—but a spring detox can be so much more than decluttering your cupboards and closets.
Those of you who are tuned into the seasonal cycles are probably feeling the urge to plant new seeds, come up with new ideas and start new projects. What we plant now, figuratively or metaphorically, has everything to do with how the rest of our year will bloom and unfold.
A detox is more than what you eat, it's how you choose to think and feel and act. It's drawing a line in the sand and committing to let go of outdated things, not only in your cupboards and closets but also in your attitudes, your thoughts and your behaviour. Just as nature does in the spring now is a great time to turn over a new leaf and start fresh.
So, here's our list of things to fling this spring, for traveling light and for keeping your light shining bright:
1. Negativity - Gossip, judgments, uncompassionate thoughts can easily creep in and become nasty habits unless we're being super conscious of how we're thinking, speaking and acting. If you find yourself in that downward spiral—don’t go there. Use the energy of spring to recommit to being optimistic, positive and buoyant.
2. Old Habits - Make a bucket list of all the things you want to START and all the things you want to STOP. This doesn't need to be exhaustive or difficult. We all have something that we know we should be doing or something we need to stop doing. Write them down and follow through.
3. Blaming - It's easy to get into a mode of blaming others for things that aren't working out by pointing the finger or looking to pass the buck, but this behaviour only keeps you stuck. Blaming is the ultimate form of denying your own power. We give our power away when we avoid accountability. When we step up and take responsibility, everything changes. Byron Katie says it best: "When you believe that your problem is caused by someone or something else, you become your own victim." Amen, sister!
4. Addictions - What's your crutch: food, coffee, sugar, TV, social media, gossiping? We all have one—or perhaps many—addictions that we use to avoid reality. Spring is the perfect time to acknowledge and admit the things we're holding onto that are really holding us back. Name it, and you can no longer blame it.
5. Indecision - Of all the infectious behaviours, there's probably none more debilitating than lack of decision. Indecision manifests as feelings of being overwhelmed, stressed or stuck, and we've all felt those at one point or another in our lives. All our power lies in our ability to decide, and once we do, decisions become our true source of confidence and courage. Don't ever be afraid to make a decision because you fear you'll make the wrong one. The truth is, there are no wrong decisions; we all have the ability to choose again if we decide to. It's better to make a wrong decision today and learn from it than to make no decision at all. Once you start making more decisions, everything begins to flow again. The more small decisions you make, the more confidence you have to make bigger decisions. Watch what happens to your energy, your confidence and your creativity when you stop thinking in maybes. This spring, make a decision about something you've been putting off. Even if it proves to be wrong, the great news is, you can always choose again.
6. Broken Promises - Unfinished business and incomplete projects and commitments produce energy leaks in your life and drain your confidence, your health and your inspiration. The cure? Always do what you say you're going to do and finish what you start. And of course, this goes for promises made to others as well. Commit to showing up 100 percent and rocking it! Make a plan and a promise—and no matter what, commit to keeping your word.
Happy spring detox.
