It’s the start of another year, and you’re probably drowning in advice about detoxing your life. Delete social media, cut out sugar, minimise screen time, stop eating carbs.

But what if we’ve got it all wrong? What if the ultimate detox isn’t about removal at all, but about agency and abundance?

Let me explain with a story about mustard.

During my MBA, my classmates joked that if you plotted personality types on a quadrant, with sunshine yellow optimism at one end and deeper shades at the other, I would register as a Dijon or English mustard. Bright enough to see opportunity, but with enough bite to keep it real.

This metaphor captures something profound about how we view the future. Frederik Polak, a Dutch sociologist and futurist, discovered that our worldview isn’t just about optimism versus pessimism. It’s about whether we believe we can shape what’s ahead, or not.

The real power lies in our sense of agency – our belief that we can actively create the future we want.

Here’s where the magic happens. It’s not about choosing between optimism or realism, growth or reflection, action or contemplation.

It’s about embracing the “and”. As psychologist Carol Dweck discovered, people with growth mindsets see challenges as learning opportunities, rather than barriers to avoid.

For example, according to her research, a Chicago high school replaced “fail” in its grading system with “not yet”.

This simple shift from “but” to “and” thinking transformed students’ relationships with challenges. Dweck calls it “the power of yet”, a mindset that sees every obstacle as a stepping stone rather than a stopping point.

True growth doesn’t come from detoxing our negative emotions or force-feeding ourselves optimism. It comes from creating environments where we can thrive with our full spectrum of experiences.

So how can we create these environments in 2025? Here’s my blueprint.

First, replace “but” with “and”. When planning your year ahead, notice how often you use “but” to shut down possibilities.

“I want to start a business, but the economy is uncertain,” becomes “I want to start a business, and I can start small while learning about the market.” That shifts you from scarcity to possibility.

Second, embrace the “not yet” mindset to cultivate optimism and perseverance. When you encounter difficulties or feel inadequate at a skill, adding “yet” to your self-talk can help you reframe the situation.

Instead of thinking, “I’m not good at public speaking,” say, “I’m not good at public speaking yet.” This subtle change helps you acknowledge that improvement is possible, encouraging you to see challenges as temporary hurdles instead of permanent limitations.

By adopting “not yet”, you shift from feeling stuck to embracing the possibility of progress.

Finally, create spaces that amplify rather than restrict you. Instead of detoxing your life of challenges — because really, a life without challenges just isn’t possible — aim to build your capacity to face them.

Leaders who cultivate growth mindsets in their teams handle obstacles better and find inspiration in the success of others. You don’t have to be a leader to benefit from the principle.

As we step into 2025, I’m not interested in detoxing my life of anything, except the belief that growth requires subtraction.

I’m creating environments where growth is possible precisely because all parts of me are welcome.

After all, as Susan David reminds us, “Life’s beauty is inseparable from its fragility.” Ultimate abundance comes not from removing the hard parts, but from embracing our power to shape what’s ahead. The challenges and opportunities, the setbacks and growth, the sunshine and mustard.

What future will you create this year?