Rituals, Routines, and What they mean to our Quality of Life

Hello my lovelies 😍! Wanted to discuss our healthy ways of getting us through the days. Our processes that keep projecting us forward through this world. Our rituals and routines that we created, and curated over the years, to get us through the years. Some were passed down to us, and through time we realized that some of those hand-me-downs we could not keep. Over time we develop our areas of concerns, product preferences, environment/ingredients sensitivities, so then we are better able to see what works and what does not. It’s all about what fits you, and allows you to be your ultimate self in your ultimate life.

Taking a Habit through to a Ritual, and establishing a Routine

Waking up and taking that first swig of water, taking a shower before going to bed, listening to your fave podcast on your daily walk/run/jog/strut...All these are different forms of habits that can turn into a routine or ritual depending on the focus. 

Habits - Tasks

Routines - Tasks with Intention

Rituals - Tasks with Mindfulness

A habit stems from an automatic urge to do, that often has a particular trigger. The stronger the bond between trigger and habit, the more ingrained the habit.

Routines require deliberate practice. Making your bed, GTL (Gym, Therapy, Laundry), Daily meditating, are all routines that require continual practice or they eventually fade out. Unfortunately, our brains will not go into cruise-control mode and walk you to the gym for your weekly Barre class.

Habits and routines are both regular and repeated actions, but habits involve little to no conscious thought, whereas routines are created by a heightened level of intention and focus.

Rituals involve a bit of MAGIC...it’s what we do versus our unique way of doing things.

Whereas routines make the uncontrollable factors of daily grind seem more manageable, rituals take the mundane and add glitter! By adding focused energy and mindful consciousness we can elevate habits into meaningful rituals that are more impactful.

Turning habits into routines and BEYOND…

Now that we’ve broken down the basics, we wanted to delve a bit more in the transition from a habit to graduating to a routine. There’s actually a whole process to it! From the trigger being sent to your brain, to the pat on the back you give yourself for continuing the habit, This chain of events is the process of creating a routine.

Think about a goal you have, now schedule a task (or tasks, depending on the goal!) that tie into the completion of said goal (Example: Having a goal to get into shape, so you schedule workouts 3 times per week, and meal prep every weekend.). As you remain consistent with the routines/rituals created, and you notice the positive results, celebrate yourself!!! This expression of positivity will prompt your mind to repeat this Habit Loop if needed.  

Your mind & body on routines and rituals

Ever tried to harness the power of positivity?? Well that’s where routines and rituals come in… Habits that turn into rituals and routines create a form of organization in our lives, which allows us to curb excess energy spent on seeking. Instead, rituals and routines allow us to bring the things we seek to us.

Dr Steve Orma, Psychologist and mental health expert, agrees that scheduling a routine or ritual  to perform certain tasks is an excellent way to keep your stress to a minimum. From Working out and paying bills, to meditating and unwinding after work, Dr. Orma advises that a task added into your schedule “becomes your normal routine; it’s easier to accomplish everything because it becomes habit.” So let's use this idea for your mind, like with affirmations. Speaking into the POSITIVE movement that you are wanting in your life. Stay CONSISTENT. The benefits come from the continuing of the routine. Besides the extremely helpful benefit of relieving stress, practicing routines and rituals with a focused mind can also bring you what you’re searching for.

I’ve got the right stuff...Tools of the trade

We don’t expect you to go out there and instantly know what you’re doing. Here’s a few techniques from, NY Times:

Ways to create habits:

• Stack your habits - The best way to form a new habit is to tie it to an existing habit, experts say. Look for patterns in your day and think about how you can use existing habits to create new, positive ones. Example: If you already drink a cup of coffee every morning, read your positive affirmations during this time.

• Start small - If your goal is to walk every day, make it a short walk at first. Don’t discourage yourself by making the habit too challenging

• Do it every day. British researchers studied how people form habits in the real world, asking participants to choose a simple habit they wanted to form, like drinking water at lunch or taking a walk before dinner. The study, published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, showed that the amount of time it took for the task to become automatic — a habit — ranged from 18 to 254 days. The median time was 66 days!

• Make it easy. Habit researchers know we are more likely to form new habits when we clear away the obstacles that stand in our way. For example if you want to start exercising, choose one that you can do from home.

• Reward yourself. Rewards are an important part of habit formation. When we brush our teeth, the reward is immediate — a minty fresh mouth. But some rewards — like weight loss or the physical changes from exercise — take longer to show up. That’s why it helps to build in some immediate rewards to help you form the habit. Listening to audiobooks while running, for example, or watching a favorite cooking show on the treadmill can help reinforce an exercise habit. Or plan an exercise date so the reward is time with a friend.

Namaste 🧘‍♀️

Whether your goal is grand or simple, having a routine/ritual behind it, will allow for a better outcome. So prepare by scheduling your tasks, don’t take on more than you can maintain, repeat the process over and over, and don’t forget... “You’re Doing Amazing sweetie!”