Glory be! 2017—also known as the year America lost its mind—is coming to a close. If 2017 has left you feeling mentally stressed and physically exhausted, you aren’t alone—we feel you.

So, in order to help you start 2018 on the right foot—and with a calm mind—we reached out to a handful of experts and asked them how people can maintain happiness and health in the New Year. Their answers inspired us to create a small New Year’s resolution list. We hope you think these experts thoughts are helpful.

Resolution #1: Learn to be you and stay present

Diane Lang, MA, counselor, educator and certified life coach, teaches a New Year, New You class that educates people on how to better live their lives. Most of the things Lang’s class covers aren’t new concepts, however, the course’s topics are worth covering—especially now.

Make yourself a priority this year

I will learn to say no to others when I feel overwhelmed and stressed. I will say yes to my needs and wants. If I take care of myself, I will be there for others.

I will be grateful for what I have

I will take the time to pause and think about all I have. This isn’t about material objects. This is about my abundance of love, warmth, comfort, care and empathy I receive on a daily basis. Spending a few minutes a day doing gratitude checks will help me realize all I have in life.

Pay it forward constantly

I will give more of myself everyday.

Step out of your comfort zone

In 2018, I will take risks, add variety and become more creative. The word “bored” will be removed from my word list this year.

This year I will be a great role model

This will make me a better parent, mentor, friend and educator.

I will become fully aware of my negative thoughts, comments and actions toward myself and others

I will make a conscious effort to be more positive and respectful of others and myself.

This year will be the year of action plans

Not only will I set short and long term goal lists but action plans on how to get there. I will write down each detail of my list and follow each step.

This year I will live in the present

I will let the past be in the past because the past doesn’t equal the future. Also: Stop worrying about the future because it doesn’t exist!

I will spend less time this year trying to control others and being perfect

Neither one is possible and even though I have known this for many years, I never listened. This year I vow to let go of my controlling issues and perfectionist traits and learn to enjoy life in its messy existence.

This year I will say…

“Thank you” to everyone I love, and not just on birthdays and holidays. I will also say sorry when needed; thanks when it’s deserved; and I love you just because I do.

This year I won’t try so hard to be someone I’m not

I will not compare myself to celebrities or wish I was someone else. I will become aware of who I am.

This year I will live my life

Sometimes, we get so caught up in our unrealistic expectations that we forget to just enjoy the life that is here right now.

Resolution #2: Worry better

Worry is a natural feeling. That’s why you shouldn’t try to ban worrying from your daily to-do list in 2018—you should schedule time for it.

Jill Howell, registered board certified art therapist and licensed professional counselor, thinks that scheduling worry time is helpful.

“I tell my patients to plan one or two specific 15 minute periods during the morning and evening when they are allowed to worry,” says Howell. “If they think of a worry at noon but don’t have time scheduled until 5 p.m., then there are two benefits: They might forget what the heck it is that they were going to worry about. [Also,] by identifying the worrying thought, they are beginning the process of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).”

She adds that you can’t take care of a problem if you are not aware of it. “Identifying the worrisome thought helps you become aware enough to then work on changing your thoughts and ultimately your behaviors!”

Resolution #3: You are what you think, so think positive

Tom Ingrassia, author and president of The MotivAct Management Group, says that ultimately, you are what you think. “The thoughts you put into your mind will manifest in your life,” says Ingrassia. “Put your focus on the positive, good things in your life and that will reflect in the outcomes you achieve.”

He adds that when you are faced with a situation you don’t know how to handle, stop, stay silent, and figure out what is in your best interest before making a move. “Think about a past success—how you achieved that and how that felt,” he says.

One way to stay in this positive mindset is to set aside time for yourself each day. “Even if you can spare just 30 minutes from your hectic schedule, do it every day,” he adds. “I also recommend spending a few minutes before you go to sleep each night reflecting on at least one thing you are grateful for that day.”

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Make New Year’s resolutions that matter because you only live once.

With the new year approaching, you may be tempted to give into making lame New Year’s resolutions. Don’t do it. Losing weight, becoming more organized, and saving more money are just overrated. These are the kind of resolutions that we all are doomed to fail at because they are super boring and just don’t capture the imagination. Instead, choose alternative resolutions that are outside your comfort zone and inspire you to try something new. While there is value in saving money and getting healthier, the start of a new year is time for bigger stuff.

7 Alternative New Year’s Resolutions

1. Become an expert. Commit to beginning the journey of becoming an expert this year. It’s said it takes 10 years of practice and study to become an expert. Whether it’s gardening, playing chess, or beekeeping, take up something with the goal of making it to expert status in 10 years.
2. Literary travel. Follow the protagonist of your favorite book and make a pilgrimage to the setting featured in the book. Whether it’s Northern California from “Sideways” or Savannah, GA from “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” travel to the place from your favorite book.
   
3. Learn to say “yes” more often. As a person who used to say no to plans and opportunities, I started saying yes more, and it’s changed my life. Learning to say yes can take lead you down unexpected paths. Give it a try this year and see if it works for you.
4. Reskill. Reskilling is about becoming a more resilient and self-reliant person, helping to create a more sustainable future and learning to appreciate “lost” skills, like home canning, gardening, beekeeping, home brewing, and more. Give it a try this year.
5. Give into your desire to become a crazy cat lady, within reason of course. If you have a living situation that allows you to have cats, why not add 1 or 2 more, as long you can afford to care for them. Be proud of your cat lady status. Own it.
6. Get involved. Whether you decide to fight City Hall or Congress, stop being an armchair activist, take up a cause, and get actively engaged in making a difference in your community or the world.
7. Try something new–every week. Whether it’s trying a new food, finally taking up yoga, reading a new genre, or volunteering at the local food bank, commit to giving something new a try each week in the new year.

Related on EcoSalon

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The post 7 Alternative New Year’s Resolutions Because YOLO! appeared first on EcoSalon.

Financial goals you can set for 2015 that will still be in tact by 2016.

We all set financial goals when a new year’s just around the corner, but unfortunately most of us struggle to stick to them. Goals of any kind are a lot of pressure, and plant the idea in our heads that we’re not going to be happy – or our life won’t really begin – until after our goal is met. But then we meet the goal and set a new one, and the cycle of torture starts all over again.

Instead of focusing on the end result of your financial goals, focus on the process of getting there. Think cyclically: Instead of saying, “I’m going to save $3,000 by the end of the year,” say, “Every payday I’m going to put away X number of dollars.” Focus on the simple act of sticking to your schedule, and before you know it you’ll have way more than $3,000 in your savings – plus the added bonus of feeling a sense of accomplishment at the close of every cycle.

You can create cycles for each financial goal you want to set, and use the end of each cycle to reassess for the next one. The easiest way to do this would be to align each cycle to your weekly, biweekly or monthly pay schedule.

Here are 7 financial goals you can accomplish on a cyclical basis:

1. Make more money

You’d be surprised at how many of us only have a general idea of how much we bring in each month – which is not cool for those of us who aren’t on a salary. It’s important to reassess this number every month in case any adjustments to your budget need to be made so you don’t go into debt. From here, you can make plans to gradually increase your income.

2. Stick to your budget

If you want to stand a chance at reaching your financial goals this year, then you have to create a budget. List your monthly expenses that don’t budge – mortgage/rent, car payment, cell, etc. – then deduct this amount from your monthly income to see what you have left to work with. Use what’s left and create spending limits for your groceries, gas, entertainment, and any other fluid expenses you have. Then you know, stick to it.

3. Spend less

With your new budget in hand, take it for a test drive. At the end of every month, reassess to figure out what categories you may need to add more money to, what categories you can save money on, and (if applicable) how much you’ll be able to put toward your debts the following month. Tracking your spending makes the difference between steering your financial ship safely – or hitting an iceberg, especially since more often than not we spend more than we think we do.

4. Pay your bills on time

Using your cell phone, iPad calendar or a service like Mint, collect the due dates for your bills and set reminders to ensure you never have to deal with late payment fees again.

5. Improve your credit score

Errors in credit score reports are more common than we’d like to believe, and could be what’s standing in your way of scoring better interest rates for your loans and credit cards. Make it a point to check on your credit score every quarter to decide what improvements you should make.

6. Start an emergency fund

They say you should keep an average of three to six months worth of expenses in a savings account just in case something crazy happens – your car breaks down, your relationship falls apart, or an anvil falls on your head. (Kidding. Sort of.) Instead of panicking over the fact that your savings account has 35 cents in it, think cyclically: “I’ll take X number of dollars out of each pay check and place it into a high interest savings account.” Do yourself one better and setup an automatic transfer through your bank.

7. Pay down your debts

List all of your debts and decide what order you want to pay them off in. Make sure your minimum payments are covered in your budget first, then decide how much you can swing in the form of additional payments and add them to your cyclical schedule. Bam.

What are your financial goals for the new year?

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Made your New Year resolutions yet? Don’t forget your beauty kit. Get your routine streamlined and healthy for 2015 with these natural beauty resolutions.

You’ve likely heard of the less is more approach to healthy beauty. As in, using fewer products means fewer ingredients on your skin. So true, but some of us are not so minimal when it comes to beauty. If you fall into this camp, read on for ways to revamp your kit for the healthier in the coming year.

Choose one from the following list and go from there. Or use these as inspo and come up with your own beauty resolutions.

12 Natural Beauty Resolutions for 2015

1. Ditch your mainstream moisturizer

Or any product that sits on your skin all day long (serum, eye cream, makeup). Conventional beauty products contain harmful chemical ingredients. More exposure means these ingredients have more time to soak into skin and body. If you’ve yet to make the switch to healthy products, this is a great place to start. Shop Spirit Beauty Lounge for a wide range of safe products, plus a helpful skin type guide.

2. Cleanse safer

If you are looking for an easy transition to green beauty, this is a fairly easy place to begin. Unlike our favorite moisturizer or beauty treatment, cleansers are fairly universal. Look for products free from Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES). Always stick with products made for your skin type. This goes for body wash too.

3. Take the less ‘poo is more approach

Not only are mainstream hair care products chock full of harmful ingredients, but all of that sudsing up is keeping your locks from looking their best. Commit to skipping a day (or five) in between washings to bring back bounce and shine. Feeling greasy on your off day? Try a dry shampoo to absorb excess oil and add body.

4. Trade in your old scent

We’ve talked before about the hazards of synthetic fragrance, but it is important enough to mention again. You are not doing yourself or those around you any favors by sporting toxic scent. Test drive a natural fragrance and you will soon have your new, healthy, signature scent.

5. A more friendly mani

As you’d imagine, nail polish can be loaded with icky ingredients. There are several brands on the market making safer polishes. And they come in a dizzying array of color options. Grab a few and take your fave with you to your next mani session.

6. Invest in multi-taskers

What’s better than one beauty product that can perform several functions? Add an RMS Beauty Eye Polish to your beauty kit. These work on eyes, cheeks, and lips. I love Solar and Magnetic for winter.

7. Opt for refillables

Purchase beauty products with refillable containers to cut down on waste. Kjaer Weis makes incredibly gorgeous makeup products with compacts so hot you’ll want to display them, not throw away. Worth every cent, inside and out.

8. Recycle tubes, boxes, and bottles

While we’re on the subject of packaging…Most organic beauty companies take care to put their products in packages that can be recycled. Don’t forget to throw yours in the proper bin once you’ve used the last drop.

9. Clean and toss

As you do in the kitchen, be sure you are keeping your beauty kit clean. Wash brushes (I use a bit of foaming face wash, rinse well, and allow to air dry) and purchase new sponges regularly. Don’t forget to throw out old or expired products. Find out how long to keep products around.

10. Slough to smooth

This step is often overlooked, but regular exfoliation is essential in keeping skin healthy and looking its best. A simple DIY sugar and milk mixture does the trick beautifully. Gently massage over face and body while in the shower. Emerge with baby soft skin. This can (and should) be done once or twice weekly, depending on your skin type.

11. Say no to animal testing

By purchasing products whose ingredients have not undergone animal testing you are casting your vote to end the practice. Testing cosmetic ingredients on animals is cruel and unnecessary. Read a brand’s commitment page to make sure their ingredients (not just finished products) have not been tested on animals.

12. Add something new

Who said resolutions can’t be fun? Mix things up a bit. Usually stick to sheer lipgloss? Try a deeper color. Pick up a colored mascara or new eyeshadow hue. Find out what’s hot for the New Year and go for it!

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Image by Haugh Photography at Flickr.com.

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Column New years resolutions to keep you eating well in 2015.

A new year, a new chance, right? With a blank slate, the world is your oyster. You could completely change your diet overnight if you really felt like. You could go from meat loving, bacon drooler to hardcore raw vegan overnight if you felt like it. Yes, the birth of a new year always gives us the opportunity for change.

Now normally, I am not big on new year’s resolutions, mostly because so often we set ourselves up for failure. We’ll do this, we’ll avoid that. New years resolutions are for the most part very black and white, with no room for the gray area. But life is all about the gray area.

Food related new years resolutions however don’t have to be black and white. Sure, you could commit to cutting out sugar, but you could also come up with a more sustainable option like “learn how to bake a cake without refined sugar.” Food allows us to experiment, and in the new year, what better way to live healthier than to get creative with what we eat?

With that in mind, here are ten new years resolutions that are all about eating and eating well.

1. Incorporate new foods – how about one a week?

If we’re not careful, routines can quickly turn into ruts. Take inspiration from the #52newfoods challenge and incorporate a new food – or a new way of preparing a food – every single week. It will keep you out of your culinary rut.

2. Find local replacements whenever possible

How about a little olive oil instead of coconut oil? Or blueberries instead of goji berries? There are plenty of things in our everyday diets that have alternatives that can be sourced from closer to home.

3. Learn how to bake a cake without refined sugar

You didn’t think I’d leave this off the list did you? You’d be surprised how many alternatives there are to sugar, and it doesn’t have to mean that your end product tastes like hippy sawdust.

4. Cut out meat for a certain number of meals, or days, every week

The world would be better off if we all ate less meat. However, not everyone is ready to go vegetarian. That’s ok. But what you can do is committing to eating less. If you already have one meat-free day in the week, why not make it two? Set a goal.

5. Stop using coffee pods

If you already ditched that nasty habit in 2014, good for you (and the planet). For the rest of you, please oh please don’t buy into this expensive, wasteful trend.

6. Cook a meal from a country whose cuisine you don’t know anything about

Certain ethnic cuisines get a lot of exposure – Mexican, Thai, Italian – but there is an entire world of food out there waiting to be explored. Don’t limit yourself. Pick a country and learn a few dishes. All I have to say is this: Indonesian satay sauce.

7. Grow something edible

I don’t care if you only have a tiny balcony space with room for one planter, you can at least grow some herbs. Get those hands dirty.

8. Don’t buy food based on looks

Good looking food doesn’t always mean better food, so remember that appearance shouldn’t trump quality. Support those ugly vegetables!

9. Decide on a few staples that you can make yourself

There are so many grocery store products that we could easily be making ourselves. Almond butter? Yup, you can do that at home. Nutella? No point in getting store-bought ever again. Rice milk? Cut that off the shopping bill.

10. Stay informed

To keep voting with your fork, you have to know what’s going on in the world of food. Want to keep up with what’s happening in food politics? A few great resources include Civil Eats, Marion Nestle’s Food Politics and Food Tank.

Now, here’s to a healthy and delicious 2015!

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This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’ weekly column at EcoSalon: Foodie Underground, an exploration of what’s new and different in the underground movement, and how we make the topic of good food more accessible to everyone. More musings on the topic can be found at www.foodieunderground.com.

Image: swong95765

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Are your New Year’s resolutions realistic?

As 2013 comes to an end there’s one question at hand: are you going to make a list of resolutions?

While New Year’s resolutions are admirable – making an effort to make positive changes in our lives is certainly a good thing – often we make ones we can’t keep. “Eat better” or “be healthier” aren’t realistic resolutions as they don’t have any parameters. How do you measure your success? Set up a resolution that you can’t keep and you won’t get the benefit of succeeding.

About 45 percent of Americans make resolutions, but only about 8 percent actually keep them. Looking to make some resolutions for the new year? Here are some that are good for you, the environment and the community, and that you can adapt according to your own needs to ensure that you are successful in the new year.

1. I will take one evening a week to unplug

I mean no iPhone, no iPad, no social media, not TV. Nothing. Read a book. Write a letter. Draw a picture. Sit and think.

2. I will go one month without buying anything new

Try to not buy anything new during the month of January. Groceries don’t count of course! If you succeed in January, try again in February. The goal is to reconnect to your consumption habits; we all could do with buying less, and when we do feel the need to buy something, why not buy something second hand? It’s more economical and environmentally friendly.

3. I will eat one, two, three or even more, additional vegetarian meals a week

We all know that we should be eating less meat, so in 2014 if you’re not a strict vegetarian, commit to it! Choose a number of meals per week that you can realistically go 100 percent meatless and to make things easier, plan out those meals in advance.

4. I will look at hangtags and have that guide my shopping decisions

Want to do something to change the world of fast fashion? Look at your hangtags and think about the purchases you are making. If it helps, make a list of places you don’t want to be buying from.

5. I will not eat at fast food restaurants

It’s 2014, people, you should have stopped doing this a long time ago anyway.

6. I will incorporate a daily morning routine of meditation/breathing/yoga/stretching

No one is asking you to run a marathon (although if you want to do that this year, that’s a great goal), just plan out a short morning routine to get you going. After a few weeks of a daily practice, you’ll be surprised at how much your body craves it.

7. I will explore one new place a month

You don’t have to travel across the world to have an adventure. Commit to exploring in your own neighborhood, be it a new park, restaurant or even just a street you have never walked down.

8. I will smile more

It is proven to make you happier after all. Try one smile at a stranger per day and just see how much better you feel.

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ColumnA behind-the-screen look at the consistently ridiculous inbox of a writer.

At EcoSalon, we receive our fair share of email pitches, and we’ve decided to give you a weekly peek at this valuable information inside our inboxes. These products, people, and services are 100 percent real, although we’re not always sure that they should be.

Wild Anal Play Adventures!

Nothing says conscious living better than a night of wide-awake, very awake, anal play.

In bestselling author and sex educator Dr. Sadie Allison’s newly released fifth book, Tickle My Tush, we all can learn the “true pleasures of the under-explored seat of love.”

Would it be acceptable, Dr. Sadie, if I just used my seat to sit? Anal play may be on trend, but it’s not for everybooty.

Thanks, we think, to PR professional Barbara Dunn (or the “Tickle Kitty” as she signed off in her email to us) for this EcoSalon-specific pitch.

Become a Hot Mess For The World To See!

“I’m a hot mess!”

You’ve said it, your friends have said it, and you’ve all agreed at one time or another that an outfit, makeup application or drunken expose captured on another friend’s iPhone conveyed the spirit of this mess.

You and your friends, and your friends’ friends are not alone! In fact, there’s a whole website about people’s shameless hot messes. And you can now add your own.

Join Hot Mess Executive Producer Amy Kersten in her video, where she is dressed as a “deranged nanny” in The Christmas Carol, and try not to rip skin from your face as she forces an “English” accent from her freshly painted lips. You won’t get anything she says about the contest (and you want to because you have some good footage of your now-ex best friend), because all you’ll hear is that pouty faux accent. It will stay with you all day and you will become a hot mess just trying to get it out of your head.

As for their final words to us: “We’d love for Ecosalon.com to post about the contest this week, as we think your readers might be worthy competitors and who may also like our series!”

We say, you so don’t know our readers. But any press is good press, right?

Lose Weight This New Year Courtesy of Some Slave Labor Chocolate!

A recent national survey finds that only 32% of Americans actually make New Year’s resolutions. Sadly, for those who do, 60% of those people have the foresight to know they’ll break them before they even make them.
Regardless of whether or not Americans make (or keep) their resolutions, health seems to be at the top of everyone’s minds for the New Year.

According to the survey, a whopping 75% of American adults are planning on losing weight in 2012 and they say “Kicking up the Cardio” is the most optimal way to lose weight. “Eating Smaller Portions” and “Choosing ‘Healthy Over ‘Hearty’” came in a close second and third, followed by “Partnering with a Friend” which ranked surprisingly low in a distant fourth place.

There were additional findings from the Nestlé Raisinets’ New Years Health survey. Wait. Nestlé? Raisinets? Healthy?

That’s right.

Suck down all those little brown, soft-filled droppings made by Ivory Coast child slave laborers and feel good about your antioxidants! It’s a new year and you want to lose weight eating chocolate!

“Nestlé Raisinets are an indulgence everyone can try without feeling guilty,” says Tricia Bowles, of Nestlé Confections & Snacks.

Image: Stuart_Burns1

The post Better Living Through Publicists: Tush Tickler Edition appeared first on EcoSalon.

This year, resolve to get your waste down to a size zero.

How much rubbish did you throw out last year? If you’re anything like the average person, you threw away your own body weight in rubbish every seven weeks. But have you ever stopped to think where “away” is? Away is no magical place full of rainbows and fairies where everything is transformed into something lovely. No, “away” is a landfill site, an incinerator, or a ship to China. It might even be a turtle’s mouth.

In the New Year why not make a resolution for the earth by resolving to get your waste to a svelte size zero? It’s fun, challenging and, better still, it won’t cost you anything. It might even save you money.

In 2009, my family set ourselves to the challenge of accumulating no more than one trash can of landfill for the entire year. Here’s the result.

After having our bin emptied live on breakfast television (what a claim to fame!) and our story spreading around the world we decided to see how low we could go. By the end of the following year, this was our contribution to landfill:

Don’t let this overwhelm you. It took us 18 months of gradual reduction to get to that level. Putting your bin on a diet is like losing weight yourself, the odd pound every week soon adds up to significant change. Soon the only pounds you’ll be gaining will be in your wallet while your trash can will be looking slim and sophisticated.

If you’re up for the challenge, here are 16 tips to get you started:

1. Take your own reusable bags to the store and say no to disposable plastic bags.

2. Make full use of your curbside collections; what could be simpler than rinsing and recycling at home?

3. Set up a collection point in your home for materials you can take to a local recycling bank.

4. Check your schedule and mark in your diary the times when you are traveling past a recycling bank – start taking your materials with you.

5. Instead of throwing away toys, books and clothes, find your nearest thrift store and do your bit for humanity as well as the environment.

6. Decluttering larger items? Join your local Freecycle group where you’ll find people in your area who think your trash is treasure.

7. Become a secret spy – check any packaging you’re thinking of buying for recycling information. If you can’t recycle it easily look for alternatives and complain to the manufacturer.

8. Choose one disposable item you regularly use and swap for the reusable version (think disposable pens, kitchen towels, diapers and sanitary napkins).

9. Reduce paper waste by signing up for paperless billing (this often saves you money too) and stopping junk mail at the source.

10. Make something you usually buy in packaging such as bread, cakes or biscuits. It’s better for you and cheaper, too.

11. Make friends with your local retailers. Ask your butcher, baker or deli to sell you things in your own reusable containers.

12. Start a compost heap or wormery, you’ll be able to turn your fruit and vegetable peelings into something valuable for the garden.

13. Speaking of gardening, grow some of your own food. Even if you don’t have a garden you can grow in window boxes or on the kitchen windowsill.

14. Banish the word “leftovers” from your vocabulary. From now on you have tomorrow’s ingredients.

15. Make do and mend. We live in a disposable culture but the reward of knitting, sewing, crochet and woodwork is tremendous.

16. And now the philosophical part: learn to separate your wants from your needs.

Are you ready to resolve to give up waste in 2012? Tell me how you’re going to start and I’ll be your personal cheerleader.

Images: Paula Bailey; Anorak; VegPlotting

After reading an article about the effects of plastics on marine life, Rachelle Strauss and her husband (a.k.a. Mr. and Mrs. Green) vowed to live a life less wasteful and started the popular UK-based site My Zero Waste, which encourages its readers to make small changes in their homes, using less resources along the way.

The post 16 Ways to Trim Your Trash from Rachelle Strauss of My Zero Waste appeared first on EcoSalon.

The Japanese consider it inauspicious to drag old business – including clutter and dust – into a new year. You should, too.

“Just one last cigarette,” you inhaled on New Year’s Eve. “And I’m through,” you exhaled, blowing your promise in the wee hours of New Year’s Day. Sorry, 3 a.m. is technically tomorrow.

With the New Year comes the same old promises either made in the throws of drunkenness or the penance of a hangover. You promise to save money, get fit, lose weight, gain weight, get laid, go celibate, sober up, de-clutter. As far as the cigarettes are concerned, seriously, it’s 2012, quit already!

The rest of it – the money, love, body, and (especially) clutter woes – just might resolve themselves on their own if you start the year off by observing Oosouji.

“Big Cleaning”

Oosouji literally translates as, “ooo” (big) + “souji” (cleaning). It’s how the Japanese ring in the New Year. It’s a tradition that’s on par with the spring cleaning westerners reserve for cherry-blossom season – long past the expiration date of one of the top fifteen resolutions Americans make (and break) year after year: getting organized. Also at the top of that should’a, could’a, ah f*ck it list: finishing home improvement projects.

Japanese homes get a top-to-bottom scrub at this time of year as well as business offices and lots of school desks. The concept is that by eliminating the dirt from the old year, it creates a clean emotional slate with which to plan ahead for the next year.

The Japanese also plunge into the Big O as a way of showing the gods that they care, that they wouldn’t be embarrassed to have Toshigami over for a cup of tea come January. Gods don’t like clutter. They find it sloppy and lowly; humans tend to view it as a distracting and pretty major productivity killer.

Cultivate Minimalism

There’s a reason the Japanese are revered for their minimalism. It’s reflected in their architecture and design. Considering it in the cultural context of Oosouji, though, minimalism is something that is culled and cultivated, an art borne out of self-discipline.

Get 1, Toss 2

Follow the Zen Habits method of managing your stuff.

“The rule: whenever you bring in an item, you have to throw away two other items. First you cheat, by throwing out two pieces of paper, but soon you will have to move to big stuff.”

Welcome to self-discipline 101.

Take the Holiday Box Challenge

Care of the clutter experts at Organized Home, challenge yourself to: “Fill every seasonal mailing box [you received] with items suitable for donation to Goodwill…and deliver them to charity before year’s end.”

Except don’t wait until then. Do it now.

Turn Trash into Cash

Hold a stoop sale or, if your front door greets grass instead of concrete, a yard sale following the same tenets of New York’s finest.

Coming Out of the Closet

We store our past, present and future selves in our closets. Unless you’re in possession of a Bravo-scale closet, you only have enough room in there for the here and now. Even if you do have more shelf space than Oprah, a dress that you barely fit into then, kind of aren’t sure about now, and might possibly wear at some point down the line does not belong in there. It’s just not healthy to cling to that size zero past. You’ve got hips now. Move on.

Another juicy tidbit from Home Organizing:

“Behind the hangers and shelves and boxes lies a second reality. To declutter a clothing closet, you can’t stop with the clothes. You have to move on to the clutter of the psyche that lies behind the possessions.”

Therein lies the lesson, grasshopper.

The fastest way to sabotage a weight-loss, money-saving, or otherwise-self-improving plan is dragging all that dust and dirt and grime and mess with you from the year before. Start by chasing the dust bunnies out from underneath the bed and then deal with the personality crisis in your closet. After that, you can resolve to do just about anything.

Images: And Done; Tonomagokoro; Kibogaoka; K. Barker; Noukka Signe

The post Before You Commit to Anything in 2012, Do Oosouji appeared first on EcoSalon.

Keeping those New Year’s resolutions can be made easier by incorporating stylish reminders into your wardrobe.

Here we are, a few days into the new year and hopefully still on track with our resolutions. Whatever your resolution may be — eating more veggies, practicing more gratitude, helping rebuild disaster areas, giving up bottled water or supporting sustainable seafood —  you can probably find an item of clothing that will help serve as a reminder.

Eat Your Veggies Mushroom U-line Tank
Resolution: I will eat more veggies. Besides being one of my favorite veggies, mushrooms provide a wealth of protein, fiber and vitamin C, and have also been shown to boost heart health, lower risk of cancer; promote immune function; ward off viruses and help balance blood sugar levels. Designed and made in the USA, this tank top is made from 100% Siro Micro Modal (derived from sustainable beechwood) and printed with water based inks.
On sale for $20, Revenge Is

Practice Gratitude Bamboo Wear with Organic Cotton
Resolution: I will practice gratitude. This soft tee is made in a Fair Trade facility that guarantees a fair wage and safe working conditions, from a silky blend of 70% bamboo and 30% organic cotton. As a bonus karmic reward, a tree will also be planted for every tee you buy. Now there’s something to be grateful for.
$34, Tees For Change

United by Blue 167 Tee
Resolution: I will give up bottled water. 167 is the average number of water bottles disposed of in the ocean per person. If we all pledge to give up bottled water in favor of reusable bottles, we’d do a lot to help prevent the oceans from being clogged with plastic debris. When you buy this 100% Organic cotton tee, United by Blue does their part by helping remove one pound of trash from our waterways.
On sale for $26, Mission Savvy

PACT for Japan Light Boy Short
Resolution: I will help those less fortunate. PACT and Architecture for Humanity have teamed up to create this collection of organic undies, which supports the design and construction of a work-house for a cooperative of 15 fishermen in Shizugawa, a town where 70% of the structures were destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami in March. The cute pattern featuring Japanese lanterns is one of three designed by Yves Behar especially for the collection.
$22, PACT

United by Blue Sustainable Seafood Tee
Resolution: I will only consume seafood that is sustainable. When you purchase this 100% Organic cotton T-shirt, you help United by Blue remove a pound of trash from oceans and waterways around the world. When you check out, you can even choose — from one of three cleanup sites — where you want this pound of trash to be removed from. We should all aim to make sure that all the seafood we consume comes from a sustainable source. Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch guide is a great resource that will help you move toward that goal.
$34, United by Blue

peaceBOMB Resolution Wrap
Resolution: I will work toward a more peaceful world. This wrap bracelet is made from vintage silk string from France and a hand cast tag and comes wrapped around a resolution card for you to write down your goal. For each bracelet sold, Project peaceBOMB is able to clear one meter of bomb littered land in areas of Laos previously ravaged by war. Wear it around your wrist as a constant reminder of your resolution (and our collective desire for a more peaceful world).
$16, Project peaceBOMB

The post On Trend: Stylish Resolution Reminders appeared first on EcoSalon.