Green juices, smoothie diets, and antioxidants are all the rage when it comes to doing a full body detox, but we just may be missing the most important body part of all: our brains. According to a study done by psychology experts at Queen’s University, the average human can have more than 6,000 thoughts per day. Which tells us, if anything, it’s our minds that are in more need of a detox than we realize.
So to help with this much needed cleanse, we’ve put together a simple but effective mind detox exercise to help you declutter those thoughts and clear your mind before the new year. Let’s chat through how it works.
The Exercise: How to Detox Your Mind
Start by grabbing a piece of paper and splitting it into 4 quadrants.
1) To do’s:
Braindump all of those to do’s that have been lingering on your mind. Buying gifts, making plans, scheduling that important appointment. Your brain isn’t meant for storing nitty gritty details like “clean the car’s glove compartment”. Put those to do’s on paper in one spot and you’ll feel a heck of a lot more organized.
2) Big ideas:
Whether it’s a new workout you want to try in the new year or revamping the furniture in your living room, there’s no doubt your mind is constantly swirling with exciting new ideas and projects. Write these big ideas down as they come to mind and you’ll feel way lighter once you document them.
3) Negative thoughts that have to go:
Now here comes the cleansing. Take a few moments to think about those never ending negative thoughts living rent free in your head. “I can’t believe that person cut me off on the road last week. I’m still so pissed about it.” Or maybe it’s along the lines of “I hate waking up early every day. This sucks.” Write out the negative thoughts you hear in your mind daily. Learn from them, heal from them, and grow. Figure out how to turn those negative thoughts into brighter, more purposeful notions. It’s time to release the blockages and what’s been holding you back.
4) Letting go of…:
Maybe it’s a new bad habit you’ve developed, an unfair and unrealistic standard you set for yourself, or maybe it’s that so-called “friend” who has been nothing but draining and toxic towards you. Whatever those things may be, reflect and acknowledge what things you need to let go of. “Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer serves you, grows you, or makes you happy.”
Doing a mind detox on the regular can help you feel lighter, less anxious and more calm as a whole. Be sure to tag us @thewerklife as you’re doing this exercise – we’d love to hear if this is helpful for you!
Read more:
- How to Change Your Life in 90 Days
- 7 Steps to Get Your Life Back on Track When You’re Stuck
- How to Create a Morning Routine You’ll Actually Stick To
- 10 Daily Habits to Improve Your Life Right Now
