Rituals
I've been thinking about the topic for this blog post since listening to a podcast called Feel Better Live More. The host Dr. Chatterjey interviews Greg McKeown who is an author, public speaker, leadership and business strategist. The podcast was the first time I've heard the name, though I will forever remember it when thinking about rituals. He refers to rituals as "habits with a soul." I love that! As humans we engage in rituals to highlight aspects of life we find important. We have dinner rituals, holiday rituals, and religious rituals. Greg explains how he expands the idea of rituals. He shares a story about how he and his family always enjoy dinner together, but when dinner is over and it is time to clean up, the children poof! I don't have children, but I'm sure some of you have experienced this as well. In an effort to encourage the entire family to help with clean up, he started playing music and essentially turned clean up time into a fun, karaoke hour. It was a success and his family continues to engage in this ritual. There is a wealth of information in that episode. I encourage you to give it a listen. You can find the episode below.
After listening to the podcast I realized I enact in at least one ritual daily and another a few times a week. I considered what I was doing every morning before work to be a routine but this was not the case. Actions like brushing your teeth and showering, are routine. Routines are the daily things that need to get done. Rituals are actions that contain meaning, a purpose. Every morning I was setting myself up for a successful day. Mentally preparing and creating an environment I can thrive in and accomplish goals. Here is a peek at my morning routine. *Note there is sound to the video.
Like many of you I have my coffee in the morning. I sit an enjoy a cup while I give myself time to wake up fully. I wish I could be a person who is able to get up and go, but I can't so I give myself pleeenty of time to wake up. When its time to head into my home office, I refill my coffee, grab my breakfast and start prepping my space. I try to start every morning with a clean, organized desk. I decide what essential oil is going in the diffuser and I base this decision on my goals for the day. For example, if my to-do list is heavy, I'll grab peppermint or lemon for an energy boost. I pop on my salt lamp which is said to have a few benefits, but none of these have been proven. More importantly, it was a gift from a dear friend and just so pretty when it is lit up! Then I journal. Journaling has been an essential part of my day for almost two decades. I find morning is the best time for me to sort of brain dump and start the day fresh. If I've allowed myself plenty of morning time, I am usually able to get a few rows of knitting in. Finally, I start my day. When I sit down to knit, I also take part in a ritual. *Note there is sound to the video.
Engaging in rituals has positive impacts on well-being. Here is what the studies show. Group rituals unite people. Rituals such as funeral practices, help reduce degrees of grief for both people who believe in rituals and those who do not. Rituals reducing anxiety before performances. Many singers, actors, and sports players engage in ritual practices to calm their nerves, help them mentally prepare and increase confidence. When we engage in our own personal rituals we bring a high level of awareness to the present moment allowing us to appreciate experiences and in some cases make them more enjoyable. We infuse more meaning into our actions solidifying intentions. We apply more effort to our goals because we are energized and motivated by the ritual. More effort usually results in better performance.
Rituals seem like the perfect topic to write about after releasing my first kit. What kinds of rituals can you develop and integrate before sitting down with your kit project? Are there specific objects you need to help you concentrate, or create physical readiness? A great trait about rituals is there is no right or wrong way, only the way that works best for you. A small, simple ritual can profoundly impact your experience. Here is my ritual before working on my kit project:
I would love to hear about any rituals you engage in independently or with others. Share with me in the comments below, or leave me a note on Instagram, Facebook and now YouTube! Thank you for spending some time with me today!
Resources:
Feel Better, Live More podcast episode:
https://drchatterjee.com/how-to-achieve-your-goals-effortlessly-with-greg-mckeown/
Easy reading resources:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210914-how-rituals-help-us-to-deal-with-uncertainty-and-stress
https://jodiaman.com/blog/five-benefits-of-ritual/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/dont-forget-the-basil/202104/the-power-rituals
