Clearing for the New Year

“It’s a new dawn, a new day, a new life….and I’m feeling good”.

Like the wise words of Nina Simone, every day is a gift and we have the ability to start fresh and take charge of our lives especially if it is not going in the direction that you want it to. Life can be good every day if we want it to be. With the New Year on the horizon, it’s time to count blessings, be present and make some positive changes for the new year to come.

We live in a society that keeps throwing ads in our face to make us believe we constantly need more to be happy. We sometimes need a humble reminder that we already have it all. Just be present, be thankful and enjoy the ride of life. We collect a lot of physical and emotional baggage in a year. The New Year gives us the chance to set ourselves up for new positive beginnings. Now is a good time to clear the old and make room for the new. It’s a time of reflection and letting go of what no longer serves you.

We need to ground ourselves and connect the mind, body, and soul. We sometimes forget in our busy lives how important it is to stop and be present in order to find clarity. The mind affects the physical and the physical reflects the mind. They are interconnected.

In this blog I will discuss ways to clear the tangible and intangible baggage in your life. I will also discuss ways to connect the mind, body and soul and become grounded.

First, one should clear the body. The holidays are a time to eat, drink and be merry! It’s hard not to turn down mom’s baked goods or a Christmas cheer! It’s common to pick up a few extra pounds and indulge in the celebratory spirit. That’s why I feel it’s ideal to cleanse our insides just after the holidays. I suggest a delicious juice cleanse. There are many to choose from with different intensities.

For starters, I will suggest my favourite Kale shake recipe (please see my ‘Kale Shake to the Rescue’ blog below for full recipe). Drink one every day for two weeks.  It is best to drink your juice first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. The vitamins and minerals are more easily absorbed that way. Drinking your juice will detoxify the body and expel the toxins and the build-up of our bad food choices throughout the year.

Clearing the body of these toxins will not only make you feel lighter physically, you will feel lighter mentally. Your mind will open and you will feel more present, at ease and connected. Your body no longer has to work overtime trying to battle the toxins.

After the cleanse, in order to maintain the effects, one should eat light with wholesome fresh foods. Try to stay away from excess sugar, refined and processed foods. You can continue to juice on a regular basis to boost your overall consumption of veggies and fruits. You can explore different recipes and find the one that you like best!

Clear your mind.  Meditation is a great way to clear the mind. It’s not an easy task considering we’re bombarded with thoughts on what to cook for dinner, upcoming appointments, what to wear, what time to pick up the children, etc . Silence the mind and the truth will prevail, answers will sprout, creativity will break through. Meditation doesn’t always have to fit the image of one sitting with crossed legs, eyes closed and two fingers touching.

Being present wherever you find peace and good energy is a form of meditation. An example of this is one of my best spiritual/meditation experiences that occurred during my holiday in Tebago by the ocean. I was alone in my room on a comfortable bed with clean white sheets.

I looked out the adjacent balcony window gazing at the jungle surrounding my view. All I could hear was the breeze, birds and the movement of the leaves. I was so at peace, so in awe and happiness surrounded me like a warm blanket. I laid with my eyes closed immersed in the meditation. I will always remember that moment as I had a connection with the earth, the universe…with myself.

Once you find a way that works for you, you can incorporate meditation into your life daily.  I promise you will start to see your life change; you will be more at peace, more content and more connected.

Clear your closets.  This is another important step to clearing the negative energy and setting yourself up for a new positive beginning. Holding on to clothes and clutter that no longer serves you only increase stress and clutters up your mind. We may be holding on to a tangible item but what are we really holding on to if we don’t even wear or use that item anymore? It’s a thought, an association to that item that keeps it in the drawer taking up space.

We need to let go of the fear of not having enough. We lack nothing, we are enough.  It’s amazing how light you will feel when you clear your closet of the old and organize it so you can see what you have.

Christmas is a time of giving so fill up a garbage bag full of the close you no longer wear and give it to your neighbourhood shelter, to people who are in need and would be happy to wear your old clothes. Giving will fill your heart with joy and give you something you can’t buy at a store.

In conclusion, we need to remember that we are enough and we don’t need to fill our lives with negative energy such as bad foods, too much booze, old clothes and items that collect dust. It’s the simple things in life that truly bring us joy. Be present in each moment and you will slow down time and feel full of life. Look at the happy faces surrounding your dinner table and remember to count your blessings.

Life is what you make it, make it good.

Set your intentions for the New Year; ‘it’s a new dawn, a new day’, a new year….and you will feel good! 🙂