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We’ll begin with the first element of the January Cleansing Routine – the initial cleansing. Please follow these instructions:

1. Wait for a moment when you feel relatively calm, not too caught up in one strong emotion or another.
2. Head into a bathroom where you can be alone AND look at yourself in a mirror large enough to contain your entire face.
3. Repeat this mantra three times over, increasing slightly in volume each time (whisper volume, speaking volume, projecting/performing volume):

“Who once I was, I now let go,

The past, I do not need to know,

I step forward; I let the river flow.”

4. Fill the bathroom sink with cold water in silence. Repeat the mantra a fourth and final time, then plunge your face into the water for a few seconds. 
5. Feel the residual woes of the year gone by sloughing away from you and disappearing. 
6. Lift your head from the water, let it drain away, take a breath, and move on to the maintenance phase of the Routine. 

When this is done, you can maintain the refreshed, clear mindset that you’ll have generated by doing all of the following as required:

1. Set your limits and tolerances for social occasions/drinking/work obligations/etc., and don’t let other people convince you to bypass them.
2. Similarly, set your limits and tolerances for any “trigger people” in your life who tend to impact your state of mind negatively. If you can’t entirely cut them out for whatever reason, how can you limit your exposure to them?
3. Reward yourself in small ways daily for the things you manage to get done as planned. Let your brain receive positive reinforcement for positive progress. 
4. Build routines that work for you, and follow them as best you can – but keep compassion for the days when you can’t. Do NOT beat yourself up if your routines ever falter – just get back on the horse when you can.
5. Journal for five minutes each night before bed, listing a minimum of three things that you enjoyed or were grateful for that day.
6. Don’t try to avoid and ignore negative thoughts when they arise again for the first time post-cleanse. Let them arrive and then encourage them to exit if they overstay their welcome, as you would a house guest in the physical world.
7. Give yourself guilt-free rest. Making space in your life for this will prevent “half-rest” moments born out of procrastination (and thus infused with bad feelings).
8. Never feel you have a limited supply of love and kindness to give to others. The more you give, the more the universe will return to you. Don’t be afraid to share your heart.
9. Try to reduce the frequency with which you choose easy wins over longer-term, higher-quality returns and benefits. This isn’t always going to be possible – but it’s about progress, not perfection.
10. Fill a jar or small box with slips of paper containing happy, mindful thoughts that you know will make you feel better and brighter. In moments when you sense your mindset faltering, reach for this hub of happiness and take a slip to reset.
11. If you’re struggling to identify where a negative feeling is beginning to come from, keep a “triggers” diary, spot sources, and eliminate them where possible.
12. If you feel yourself leaning into negative self-talk, consciously step away from it and into some sort of physical, brain-free activity – be it a workout routine, a five-minute walk, or even a quick clean of your kitchen.

That’s everything you need to know, do or avoid! I know this Cleansing Routine can work wonders for you if you let it. And I know 2024 is about to be… Incredible for you.

I’m on your side,         and I’m so excited to watch what happens next…

Your loving friend,