9 WAYS TO ELIMINATE NEGATIVE ENERGY IN THE NEW YEAR

START MEDITATING

The first step to eliminating negative energy from your life is to start meditating. While meditation won’t eliminate negativity completely, nor will it make toxic people go away (if only!), it will change the way your mind, body and spirit react to such situations.

So, start 2018 off with 5 minutes of meditation each day. With your mala beads in hand, relax and release any emotional stress and tension.

SHOP OUR HANDMADE MALA BEADS

STOP COMPARING

My back bend isn’t as good as hers.

Her yoga outfit looks better on her than mine.

Say no more. ‘Tis the year to stop comparing yourself to other people. Comparison will never do any good for your spirit, unless you’re doing so in a way that’s constructive and positive. Otherwise, leave the comparison in the past!

ELIMINATE EXCUSES

As the saying goes, “Everything you want is on the other side of an excuse.” Everyone makes excuses – it’s human nature. However, the more excuses you make, the less opportunity you have to prevail and grow. So, start eliminating your excuses. Write down your reasons for not doing something, whether it’s an excuse for not meditating daily or for not joining that mini goat yoga class you’ve always wanted to try. Then, come 2018, make it your mission to tackle them right off the list. You’ll be amazed at what you can do when you no longer make excuses for what you think you can’t do.

CLEAN UP CLUTTER

It’s easy to mistaken clutter for being nothing more than a mess of items. However, having clutter in your life plays a direct role in your overall well-being. So, take the time to clear out your closet, donate your old yoga outfits, toss out the mini bottles of shampoos and conditioners that you’ve “borrowed” from hotels. If you clean up your surroundings, your mind will follow en suite – and a clear mind is a giant leap towards a happier life.

TAKE OUT TRADITIONS THAT NO LONGER SUIT YOU

Traditions are great – until they aren’t. Many people feel like they have to do certain things for no other reason than “it’s tradition”. However, holding onto traditions that no longer suit you can feel like a lot of unnecessary baggage. And you know what’s worse than canceling traditions? Participating in the ones that simply make you miserable. So, in addition to clearing out the clutter from your life, clear out the traditions that you’ve been forcing yourself to do all these years – and do so, guilt-free.

LEARN TO FORGIVE

“Forgive and forget,” that’s what they say but it’s much easier said than done. Forgiving someone is hands-down, one of the hardest thing to do in life. When someone has done you wrong, the last thing you want to do is give them your blessing. However, what’s important is that you aren’t forgiving someone for them. Forgiving others is something you’re doing for yourself.

By forgiving, you are freeing yourself of the negative energy that has been attached to that memory and/or person. So, learn how to forgive in the new year. You don’t have to forgive and forget, nor do you have to forgive and let these people back in your life. You just have to let go of those negative feelings you have building up inside of you.

SAY GOODBYE TO GUILT

Similar to the prior, only on the opposite side of the spectrum, you’ll find guilt. As you enter into the new year, make it your goal to also forgive yourself.

To free oneself of guilt is to send oneself on a direct path towards happiness.

Guilt is deadly. There’s no room for it. So, accept what you have or haven’t said and done, and move on from it. Holding on to yesterday’s “shoulda’s, coulda’s and woulda’s” is only keeping unnecessary negativity in your life.

TAKE TIME TO UNPLUG

Technology is wonderful but it can also cast a shadow over the things that matter the most. If you’re the type of person who needs their phone, or who spends all of their free time binge-watching Netflix, it’s time to learn how to unplug. Now, since we live in a world infused with technology, eliminating it altogether isn’t always plausible. However, there are some changes you can make, all of which will make you happier moving forward.

So, slowly start to wean yourself off of your smartphone, tablet, streams, social media, emails, etc. For the first week, dedicate 15 minutes for yourself, sans technology. The next week, change it to 30 minutes, and then 40 minutes and so on and so forth. By the next month, you might even be able to enjoy a lunch date with your yoga friends without first having to snap photos of your food to post them on Instagram.

All jokes aside, taking time to unplug is incredibly important for your mental health. It allows you to be present in the moment, in the purest, most authentic form there is.

PRACTICE YOGA ON THE DAILY

Last but not least, eliminate negativity from your life by practicing yoga daily in 2018. The benefits of yoga are beyond this world, especially when combined with the intentions and positive energies that come with mala beads. So, set a mission to practice every single day – yes, even on the days when you really don’t want to do anything. In fact, those are the best days to practice!

Remember, mindfulness, happiness and positivity is a choice. So, choose to live a better life in 2018. A better life is only a mala bead away.