When our minds are cluttered with the impurities of stress, fear, tension and an endless “to do” list, we cease to operate at an optimal level. A physical detox; ridding the body of unhealthy substances, is effective in cleansing the body. A mental detox is the clearing out ineffective habits and toxic patterns. This process allows for clarity and more effective brain states. With so many choices and information available to us in society today, it is no wonder we need to occasionally detoxify our systems of all of the chaos that keeps us from operating in an optimal manner.
A mental detox involves purging that which starts to clog and inhibit mental processing and overall performance. The need to rid ourselves of mental “sludge” and ensure optimal mental function can correct the damage done when we run on all cylinders, at all times, without pause. In this mode, it is no wonder that a large percentage of the population feels overworked, over-stimulated, and overwhelmed.
Vital to cultivating a state of wellbeing, both types of detox work to create a balanced, healthy, body and a joyful, stress-conscious mind. Becoming conscious of the negative self talk running through your mind begins the process of reducing it. When we rid ourselves of negative thoughts, the body is allowed to relax and return from a “fight or flight” stress reaction to the homeostasis it craves.
How to Detox Your Mind
The following concepts and actions build upon the positive and allows for a purging of the negative in our minds.
- Gratitude is the practice of noticing blessings (however big or small) rather than focusing on the imperfections of life. To begin a detox, create a list of three “gratefuls” everyday. It is through gratitude that we can train our brains to automatically see the positive above the negative.
- Enjoy silence. Cease to watch or read anything that adds to mental clutter, such as the news, television shows, talk radio, and the advertising sprinkled among them. Much of the content makes you worried, anxious, or feeling less than content. There are times that a break from this type of information is clearly in order.
- Check in with your emotions frequently. When we acknowledge our emotions, we can let them run through our bodies and brains, and release their potential negative energy. Acknowledge feelings, such as “I’m angry that…”, focus on self-compassion, then find the reason to be grateful, proud or happy.
- Create a worry list. Purge worry out of the mind and onto the page on a regular basis. Worry does not assist a situation, but rather clogs the mind and creates more anxious thoughts.
Progress not perfection should be the goal. Perfect is the enemy of good and it can create bucket loads of mental sludge buildup and negativity. Determine the proper place and time to move forward imperfectly and feel the mental benefits. - Notice negative thoughts and reverse them. Experience a negative thought, catch it, and reverse the statement. For example, change “I hope the airline doesn’t lose my luggage” to “I am blessed to enjoy a vacation.”
- Let go of that which no longer serves you. We are mentally clogged when we hang onto everything in our lives. Create new mental capacity by letting go of old grudges or ideas.
Stress, chaos, busyness, negativity builds up in our minds and bogs us down. When we take time to cleanse our minds, we can begin to recover our brain power and create a healthy routine.
