Back to Basics: Mind, Body & Soul

I’m so looking forward to time away with my husband. I can almost feel the sand under my feet! But in the meantime, I’m still here. In reality, that is. Which is cool, except I’m one foot outside the door. And finding motivation these last few weeks has been increasingly difficult.

So for this reason, I think it’s time I got back to basics. And what better time than now since I also have a fairly significant birthday coming up in just under two weeks.

To get there, there are several things I’d like to put back into practice. Some are as basic as fixing my bed in the morning, others require a little more effort, like writing on the regular. My idea is to spend these weeks leading up to my birthday focused on cleansing my mind, body, and soul of all negative foods, thoughts, and energy. Ambitious? Maybe. Worth it? Hell yea! So here we go…

Mind

My overactive mind is a gift and a curse. I’m grateful for my introspection, and I’m happy I pick up new software and concepts fairly quickly. But on the other hand, I drive myself nuts with random distractions, I get carried away with multiple (sometimes irrational) ideas, and I have a serious lack of boundaries and organization. And when I’m barely getting by this way, or half-assed going through the motions, you can tell. It’ll reveal itself in my unbelievable forgetfulness or in my ridiculous struggles with things like your vs. you‘re. Sigh.

But when I’m stimulating my brain, I swear I’m a genius! Ok, not completely – but I am far less dense. And I know that focus is the key to my success. So that means no more pretending I can multi-task. (I can’t.) No more caving in to every bit of mindless entertainment. (I do.) And no more taking on far more than I can handle. (Still a work in progress.) Of course, this also means having the courage to say no, which is possibly the most challenging aspect of all. Now, this should be interesting.

Body

To kick things off on the body portion, I started my new morning workout routine yesterday. And would you believe it when I tell you I can no longer sprint?! Well, it’s true! And, no one was more shocked than me. Apparently, my “most athletic” high school days are far, far behind me, and I felt every single bit of it with every single stride. But still, I (slowly) did it anyway. I ran. And I lifted. And squatted. And I balanced on this half-exercise ball thing. And you know what? It felt amazing! Even my mind got a boost, and the energy that everyone promises you get from working out kicked in a little later too.

I admit, I can be a little lackadaisical in the gym sometimes. Or I’ll hit it hard one day, only to reward myself with several months off. But I’m turning a new leaf. At least for the next two weeks, anyway. And who knows? Maybe I’ll love it. Maybe I am this person. Time and effort will surely tell.

Soul

This will probably come as no surprise, but this is my favorite part. To me, the condition of our soul is a direct indicator of the condition of our lives. When things are right with my soul, I feel free and confident to take on new challenges and to push myself to reach my goals. When they’re not, I feel uneasy, depressed, lethargic and anxious. Since I know for sure that I’m my best me when I’m at peace, I’ve committed to meditating everyday during this cleanse.

Meditating provides me an elevated sense of awareness that connects me with the energy of the universe. I know it sounds a little mystical, but higher consciousness is what keeps me in pursuit of truth. It’s what gets me out of bed to photograph sunsets, and what leads me to forgive, and be kind, and give back, and show compassion. It’s how I keep perspective and how I maintain my sanity when things aren’t going my way. Simply put, I just feel better.

So I know this is a lot. But it’s only for a couple weeks, and lucky for me, there’s a tropical vacation on the other side, which sweetens the deal just a bit. If you’d like to join on the cleanse (not the vacay – sorry!), feel free to use my cheat sheet below. And if you have any other things I could add, let me know. I hope you’re up for the challenge!

TTYS, b

Be’Anka’s 2-Week Mind, Body & Soul Cleanse

1. Have an attitude of gratitude: What 3 things are you grateful for today?
2. Work out daily. Push yourself.
3. Eat right. No processed foods. Way, way less sugar. And no candy or alcohol.
4. Meditate daily. And pray for those you love, those you’ve lost, and those you don’t know.
5. Drink 10 cups of water a day.