Are you carrying around dead weight in your business and your life? It’s time to slough off what’s dragging you down and start the year with positive energy.

There’s a process of removing irritations from all aspects of your life – I call it ‘soul exfoliation’. Irritations include clutter left around the house, a tap that needs fixing, a coffee table that is falling apart, clothes that need mending, piles of projects left undone and so on.

These items drain your positive energy because they are constant reminders that you have things to do.

These irritants may also be reminders of circumstances that no longer reflect who you are and who you are becoming. For example, a box of magazines and articles from your previous industry or employer which anchors you in the past. If it’s not relevant or inspiring, dump it.

Irritations that need purging may also surface in your personal habits. Maybe you can’t stand the fact that you bite your nails or snort when you laugh. You might also be tolerating negative self-talk or limiting beliefs that are holding you back. Most people know what is getting in their way – why they haven’t achieved what they really want to – and often it comes down to mindset and habits. So ditch the ones that annoy and adopt the ones that inspire.

By handling these things you will release a lot of pent up energy to invest in who you really are – a beautiful radiant being – and what you really want – to live a glorious fun and love-filled life.

‘Business exfoliation’ is the same principle applied to your business. Here are some irritants to consider purging: clients that don’t pay on time, suppliers that miss deadlines, the outdated printer that breaks down constantly and the computer that crashes.

Want more articles like this? Check out the work motivation section.

Here are the top five areas to look after in business exfoliation to regain your positive energy:

1. Your physical space and supplies – get the right equipment for the job and take loads off your stress levels.

2. Try to ensure clients line up with your ethics, vision and values. Facilitate the rest of them out of your life and don’t put up with people who drain you rather than add value to your life.

3. Wean yourself from the jobs others can do – you should only be doing the stuff that fills you with inspiration and expresses your genius.

4. Clean up the work habits that drain you – multi-tasking, working late, over-promising and under-delivering.

5. Purge the thoughts and beliefs about success that fail to inspire or fill you with positive energy. Your mindset is your number one ally in creating your goals, so clean up limiting beliefs, negative self-talk and paralysing fear.

With your environment free from distractions and your mindset focused on success, you are set for a smooth and happy ride with lots of positive energy.