Today is day #2 of my 21-day Kathy Freston Cleanse (no gluten, sugar, caffeine, animal products and alcohol for 3 weeks). This might not be the right time in your life to embark on detox but I thought I’d share a few other things that I am going to be implementing over the course of my cleanse (and hopefully beyond) in case you’d like to try them with me.

I always find the time I spend being more mindful of my diet and flushing out my system is also a good opportunity to do some work on myself on a mental and spiritual level. There is actually research pointing to the fact that 21 days is the perfect amount of time to try something new in order to make it a habit in your life- so I’m going to give it a go! See if you can find inspiration in any of the following suggestions:

I’m Glad We Have Each Other – my husband and I took a class a few years ago with the brilliant teachers Dr. Martin and Georgine Nash called “Dynamic Life Partnership“. We learned a lot about ourselves and our relationship over the course of the workshop but as time has gone by I’ve let some of the wonderful lessons go by the wayside. I’m not sure about you but I find I often get so involved with the kids, work and other things in my life that my marriage falls to the very bottom of my list. One of the great suggestions we got from Marty and Georgine was to hug your partner at least 3 times per day and say together “I’m glad we have each other.” (try first thing in the morning, at the end of the workday and before bed). It sounds like something small but it makes a huge impact on your relationship.

3 Greetings– Beverley Cathcart-Ross of The Parenting Network is a wonderful teacher and personal mentor and she taught me about the importance of the “3 Greetings” with my children. In an ongoing effort to express our unconditional love for our kids and to bolster their self-esteem and their sense of belonging, it is important to make the time each day to really connect with them. According to Bev “In the morning, go to them, let them know how glad you are to see them and show them some affection. This disarms many kids, because they did nothing to earn it! Warmly greet them after school and express your love at bedtime (regardless of any meltdown that may have occurred during the evening).” These small but sincere efforts can go a very long way in making children feel deeply loved and appreciated.

Tapping– I have been curious about “tapping” since I had a brief introductory class last summer. Get ready because this is a strange one-but I’ve heard a lot of buzz about it from people I admire in the holistic world (Kris Carr, Louise Hay, Cheryl Richardson, and many others).  Basically it’s a combination of Chinese Acupuncture and psychology and you “tap” on different points of your body while repeating truthful messages to yourself. Sound too weird for you? Then move on to the next! But if your interest is piqued check out Nick Ortner’s website and/or his bestselling book The Tapping Solution.

Gratitude– One of the most unexpectedly wonderful and enriching things I did last year was to become part of a small “Gratitude Circle”. I was honoured to be included in this group of women who honestly and openly shared gratitudes, struggles, challenges and goals via email each and every week. Not only did this give me a great opportunity to express the things I was grateful for but it also made me feel very connected to these amazing women. We have fallen off the wagon in the past months due to busy schedules but I am hopeful we can start back up again….what do you think girls ; ) Even if they aren’t ready at this time, I’m going to write 3 things I’m grateful for in my journal each day.

Meditation– I have just finished 2 brilliant books on mindfulness and quiet contemplation. This 21-day period is going to be a great opportunity to try out the new things I’ve learned in an effort to take my meditation practice to the next level. Check out Tara Brach’s book “True Refuge” and Pema Chodren’s “How to Meditate” if you are curious about the myriad benefits of meditation.

So here I go – cleansing my body, hugging my hubby, appreciating my children, tapping my face, expressing my gratitude, sitting in stillness and hopefully – deepening my relationship with my family, my friends and myself in the process (and all without a drop of wine….wish me luck!)