Rituals have always been part of human existence: let’s see what their benefits are and how to introduce them into our lives
Each of us enriches our days with many small rituals that are repeatedalways the same, every time a certain situation occurs.
For example, we prepare our favorite infusion at the end of a tiring day, to relax and find serenity. Or, when we look in the mirror in the morning, we smile at our reflection. Or again, at the end of the day we write the to-do list for the next day.
Rituals calm, consoleand we continue to practice them precisely because they represent a small “lifesaver” in a life full of unexpected events.
Furthermore, they are things that we do automatically, without thinking too much about it, and this represents a great advantage: activating the appropriate rituals, or good habits, allows us to change our lives little by little, almost without effort.
Let’s try to better understand how rituals can help us improve our lives and how to choose the ones that best suit us and our needs.
The benefits of rituals.
Numerous scientific studies have confirmed the benefits of always adopting the same rituals in our lives: having fixed points, knowing that we have to do a certain thing that is always the same, can help us contain performance anxiety and make us feel better. control of our actions.
But not only. Studies show that rituals can also improve the connection between people and the quality of social relationships, whether family, love or friendship.
For example, sharing a series of small rituals with your partner improves the affinity of the couple, creating greater harmony and increasing levels of empathy: we come to understand our partner better and better and we will be inclined to want to share more and more things with them. . he.
How to choose the right rituals
Now that we have understood the enormous power of rituals for our well-being, how do we understand which rituals are right for us and how we can introduce them into our days? Here are three tips for starting ritual practice.
Hurrah creative
Every action that is repeated in our life (not necessarily every day, but with some frequency) can be the basis for a new ritual That can bring more motivation, more awareness and more serenity to our lives.
For example, we can think about introducing a Mexican-themed dinner (or vegan, or Greek, or any other type of menu) to involve the whole family in tasting dishes that are different from the usual and thus improving relationships with other members of the family unit.
Or we can lengthen the time of our coffee ritual, grinding the beans, loading the moka pot calmly and also dedicating ourselves to frothing the milk instead of hastily pressing the button that activates the automatic machine. Thus, The coffee break will become a moment of peace and relaxation for us.
Or, when we return home after our day at work, we may choose to sit for a moment in a quiet, peaceful place and let out a few breaths, to relieve tensions accumulated in the previous hours and prepare our soul for domestic tranquility.
Whatever ritual we want to introduce into our lives, we remember to “attach” it to a habit or event that already exists: only in this way will the ritual take root and become a consolidated habit.
Consider moments of transition.
Rituals, in their oldest meaning, are not gestures performed repeatedly throughout life, but They represent hydrographic basins that separate important phases of life. – such as the transition to adulthood, the end of single life, moving to a new home, etc.
A good way to introduce rituals into our lives is also connect them with moments of transition important for our existence as human beings, letting ourselves be inspired, for example, by the rituals practiced by some tribes around the world.
So, before we leave our old apartment and move to a new house, we could find emotional comfort by organizing a “going away party” for the old house, remembering all the good times spent there and inviting the people who were important.
If we are women, perhaps we also want to celebrate the transition to menopause and the end of the fertile age with a ritual that can be practiced alone or in the company of our closest friends: it is a moment of great awareness of our body and its changes that They should not go unnoticed.
Don’t think about it too much
Rituals can also be strange and strange.But this does not mean that we have to give it up: if we feel good after practicing it, if we feel an improvement in our well-being, why not repeat the positive experience?
Here is an example. If we are afraid of flying, the ritual could consist of choosing the movie to watch during the plane trip. This way, instead of focusing on the flight itself, we will already be anticipating the moment of watching the movie.
Follow us on Telegram | instagram | Facebook | Tik Tok | Youtube
We also recommend:
