Nearing the end of my first detox week, I’m proud to say I’ve kept some of my goals and abandoned others. I’ve managed to eliminate dairy for the most part…with the exception of what I like to call “the accidental chai.”
I bought the accidental chai –made with real milk, not soy milk!– at the university museum here on campus, a place I love to frequent two to three times a week. But rather than scold myself for not communicating my dairy restrictions to the woman at the cafe, I found myself amused, reminded of the fact that nothing in life can be done 100% perfectly. My professional work, my relationships, nor my yoga practice will ever be “perfect,” so how can I expect my detox to be without flaws?
There is a kind of beauty in imperfection. -Conrad Hall
Recognizing that intention is much more important than outcome, I find myself focusing on the positive rather than scrutinizing myself for the slip-up. Ask yourself: how often do YOU make yourself feel badly when you “let yourself down” or don’t live up to someone else’s expectations?
It just so happens that I also just started listening to Brian Tracy’s audio CDs on The Psychology of Achievement (a gift I received a few weeks ago) in the car on the way to work each morning. Brian repeats the same message over and over in many of his six CDs: Feed your mind with positive ideas. There’s an undeniable correlation between feeding our bodies with healthy food and feeding our minds with healthy, positive ideas.
Whether or not you decide to try a body detox, you can start detoxing your mind now by focusing on these four important things every day: being grateful, thinking positively, loving deeply, and last but not least…laughing at yourself every now and then, like when you find yourself drinking an accidental chai.
Meditate with Maeve 
Did you make that graphic? I’m in love with it!! A hounds-tooth coffee cup. Fabulous. I’ve figured out my detox. Ok, it’s only one item: candy. I don’t consume a lot, but after lunch I like a little sweet treat. And some times before class, when I’m a little sluggish, I reach for a sweet treat (think M&Ms or mini yorks). Not so anymore. I’ve got raisins and almonds at my desk ready to save me. Will let you know how it goes. Surely part of it is mind over matter. The other part is convenience.
It’s been my experience that “Perfection” is quite boring and often times borders on anal. And that people who strive for perfection don’t see the forest through the trees or stop to smell the roses of life. However, I applaud you for your stick-to-itness as far as your experiment with detox is concerned. That you could laugh about the milk, and continue your detox is commendable. So many, like myself, would say, “I’ve blown it, so I may as well drink all the coffee, dairy products, etc I want now”. That’s why so many fail at diets, because when they have a minor setback, they go right back to their bad eating habits, instead of forgiving their transgression and continuing on their diet.
Just wanted to comment on Mary’s mention of M&M’s – I have always been an M&M junkie and may have to try your raisins to trick my mind over matter (M&M’s)!