Detox your life

Publication Date: Thursday, January 03, 2008

Making a fresh start in the New Year needn’t be confined to cleansing your body with gallons of green tea and liberal helpings of cabbage soup. There are plenty of ways in which one can improve and unjumble one’s lifestyle – without resorting to the use of a single cabbage. 

1. Detox your environment 

Have you accumulated a massive pile of clutter over the course of 2007, in order to supplement your previous massive pile of clutter? Perhaps a pre-spring spring clean is the order of the day. It’s time to be ruthless, and jettison all of the bits and bobs that you no longer need, or never needed in the first place. This could mean your CDs, DVDs, your wardrobe, the contents of your attic… Everything superfluous must go! 

Make some pocket change 

You might be able to recover a few quid from your unwanteds. If you find it a bit too chilly to go to a car boot sale at this time of the year, then there’s always eBay. For the uninitiated (assuming there are still some of you out there), this is a community auction site which relies on feedback to build up a level of trust between buyers and sellers. Someone out there may well want that Michael Bolton CD you never listened to – stranger things have happened. And with the proceeds, you could buy something actually worth having. 

eBay hints and tips 

• Potential buyers are far more likely to respond if you include at least one photo of the item you’re selling.
• If there are any imperfections in the item you’re listing, be sure to mention them. If an item is worth buying, people are still likely to bid. If you fail to mention any imperfections, the buyer may give you negative feedback if they feel the item isn’t up to the standard expected.
• Respond promptly to any questions you receive about the item. This will help to increase buyer confidence.
• Set up a PayPal account. That way you will be able to accept credit card payments from buyers (with a small fee deducted from the sale), complete with the security of proven fraud and chargeback protection. The ability to accept credit card payments also comes in particularly handy when dealing with buyers overseas.
• If you are willing to post items overseas, then it’s a good idea to specify postage costs from the outset. This will ensure that buyers pay the postage upfront, which can prevent potential non-payment situations and other transaction delays. 

Discover your inner philanthropist

or

What comes around goes around 

Even if you feel that you are unlikely to make any money from an unwanted item you wish to clear out, that’s not to say that nobody would want it. You could choose to support a good cause by donating items to a local charity shop. 

Alternatively, you could list an item on Freecycle online community (www.freecycle.org). The network basically provides individuals and non-profits an electronic forum to recycle unwanted items. "One person's trash can truly be another's treasure!" they claim. The network is facilitated and mediated by volunteers, and is entirely non-profit. You can join one of the groups ascribed to your geographical area, and offload some of your stuff - and find out what's being given away too. There is nothing wrong with what's been given away - it's usually just become obsolete. 

Freecycle stipulate that everything posted must be free, legal, and appropriate for all

ages. 

Happy swapping! 

2. Detox your work 

Start small

Are you finding that you no longer skip to work with boundless enthusiasm?  Then perhaps it’s time to detox your work. Start with your immediate environment, and then work your way outwards. If you work at a desk, tidy it up, reduce your paperwork into an in-tray and out-tray, put your scattered stationery together in a pot, and delete all your unwanted emails. If you drive for a living, clean any empty packets and dirt out of your vehicle. Whatever your work environment, take fifteen minutes to ensure it’s a pleasant place to be in. 

Climb the ladder… 

Now it’s time to take a step outwards. Perhaps your work life could do with a little shake up. Look into opportunities to progress in the workplace – it could be through promotion, or additional training. Either way, it is good to keep your working life in motion, so that you don’t feel the grass is growing beneath your feet. 

…Or change everything entirely!

If you are in the unenviable position where a bit of a shake up in the workplace will simply not pass muster, then maybe your detox could involve finding a new job. Keep your CV up to date, and your ear to the ground. It is always better to look for a job whilst currently employed, so don’t hand in your notice until you’ve definitely secured a new position. Job hunting whilst unemployed is no good for the soul, and should be avoided if possible. 

Which brings us on to… 

3. Detox your soul 

It is possible to feel better about oneself with simple activities that lift your spirits. For example… 

Drop someone a line! 

Getting in touch with friends of old is a fab way to spread some cheer. Contacting someone you’ve not spoken to for ages is likely to make their day, and in turn make yours. For example, who was your best friend when you were a nipper? Are you still in regular contact now? If not, why not drop them a line and let them know how you’re doing?

The advent of social networking sites such as Facebook and Friends Reunited has made getting in touch that much easier. Although there is nothing quite like receiving a proper ‘old school’ letter through the post to really lift your spirits – even if they didn’t need lifting. Dabbling in a spot of snail mailing in order to let someone you love know that you’re thinking about them could become a monthly (or even weekly) pursuit.

Make a list 

Have you ever seen ‘My Name Is Earl’? If not, it chronicles the efforts of a reformed bad boy to make amends with Karma. Earl makes a list of all the things he’s done wrong, and one-by-one he attempts to right them. Perhaps you could make a similar list? Or, if the effort required is beyond you, you could simply buy a ‘My Name Is Earl’ series box-set… Even just watching it will make you feel like a better person.

Alternatively, if you’ve not been particularly bad, that’s no reason not to make good. You could write a list of worthy things that you have not yet done, and tick them off instead. For example, you could join in the Big Curry Night 2008 to raise money for VSO. It’s an excellent way to raise money for a truly noble cause, without having to train until you pass out to do so. And there’s a delicious irony in knowing that you are detoxing by actually preparing and eating a massive curry with friends.

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