Recently I started to consistently take care of my skin, and so far it's clearer than it has ever been – there’s this glow that seems to come from underneath my skin. Eyin peeps please note: I’m not claiming to have skin as great as Beyonce’s o! All I’m saying is that there’s been a huge improvement since I started sticking to my skincare plan.
So Dami, why are you going on about your skin? Nobody cares!
I’m going somewhere, I promise. Before you hit the ‘x’ button on the upper right hand corner of this page, stick with me for a minute.
I’ve been following the age-old, time-tested, three-step plan. It is:
Step 1: Cleanse
Step 2: Tone
Step 3: Moisturise
“Cleanse, tone and moisturise”, I used to hear all the time, but I never gave it any thought till recently when I started it, and damn, that *bleep* works!
Ehen, Dami? What does all this have to do with the price of boli and groundnut?
The other day I was thinking about my skin, and a light bulb went off in my head. If I start to take care of my MIND as routinely and consistently as I do my SKIN, in no time the results will be obvious – I will have a glowing mind!
Let’s review the steps.
Step 1: Cleanse
We need to cleanse our skin because during the course of the day, it picks up particles which clog up the pores.
In the same way, our minds are inundated with junk everyday. Images, sounds, textures, smells and tastes find their way in, and they have a tendency to clutter our minds. Whether you're male or female, you MUST wash your face at least once a day (I hope). Cleansing is a need, it is the BAREST minimum.
How do you ‘cleanse’ your mind? As soon as you wake up in the morning and before you go to bed:
• Think of something you’re truly grateful for, and say a word of thanks
• Forgive & release any grudges you may have picked up during the course of the day
• Pray
The general theme here is to get rid of negative thoughts; to de-congest your mind and fill it with positive energy.
Step 2: Tone
I definitely wasn’t into this skincare step, but the truth is your cleanser will only go so far. Toner goes deep into your pores to clean out the places where soap and facial wash cannot reach. It also tightens your pores, and conditions your skin.
How do you condition your mind to get the best out of it?
• Meditate (on a Bible verse, a quote, an idea). Meditation is simply thinking (and saying) something over and again until it overwhelms you. Meditation requires concentration and effort. But when it is done, it opens up ‘old’ ideas in new ways. It’s not easy initially. There will be so many thoughts competing for your attention. But practice with five minutes, then ten and continue until you master the art of meditation.
• Plan and Prepare: In the same way you do to your skin, you need to condition your mind for success. After you’ve meditated (it could even be during), pull out your vision board, your journal, your laptop or whatever and write down your goals. It could be “send encouraging texts to five friends today”, or “read Half of a Yellow Sun next week” or “buy dream home in two years”. When you plan, take your big dream(s) and give life to them by dividing them into smaller, measurable goals. In this case, smaller goals could be “buy 200 Naira airtime on the way to work”, and “visit Lola tomorrow to collect the novel”, and “speak to mentor next Wednesday about how to increase my income”. Notice that all the goals here, both great and small, have a timeline.
The point of meditation, planning and preparation is to bring to your awareness, thoughts and corresponding actions that will push you forward on your journey to success. I started to do it (slightly) consistently, and I realised that I became more focused and balanced. I would ask myself “does this add value to me? How does this relate to my long-term goals?”
Let me stop here for now.
In Part II, I’ll focus on the final step of daily skincare. It’s even more exciting than the first two! Can you guess how it relates to your mind?
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