How to create a daily ritual

Chances are that if you’re here reading this, you don’t yet have a daily ritual. Perhaps you are interested in starting one, or maybe you’ve tried to create one but it didn’t stick? Whatever your circumstances are, I hope that these tips & ideas will instil you with confidence & clarity as to how to accomplish adding a daily ritual into your life.

Firstly though- what is a ritual?
A ritual is a set of actions or words that are a symbolic expression & are performed on a regular basis. Ritual is extremely personal. It is a chance to connect with your inner-self, your spirituality & create meaning.

As long as it is symbolic to you, it can be literally ANY actions or words. It can also evolve & change over time so don’t worry if you feel unsure of what your ritual should be. Just pick something that you will look forward to doing each day & begin there. If you have absolutely no clue what your ritual should be, here are some ideas:

Meditation
- Journaling
  - Qigong practice
    - Walking in nature
      - Listening to a particular song or music
        Self-massage
        Breathing exercises
        Singing a certain song, chant, mantra or hymn
        Lighting a candle/incense/oil burner
      - Moisturising your body
    - Dancing
  - Preparing a meal
- Reading from a particular book or text
Yoga practice

Once you’ve chosen what actions or words you want your ritual to be made up of, you need to commit for it to be performed each day. When you get to working this part out, I’d recommend you grab a pen and notebook to write down the answers to the following questions;

How much time will you be able to offer?
If you are a very busy person then think about starting with a smaller amount of time which will be achievable & won’t overwhelm you. You can gradually extend the time as you feel ready.

What time of day will you put aside for your ritual? Are you able to choose a time when you won’t be bombarded with distractions? Or when you are not too tired/exhausted/or maybe not yet awake enough?

Will you be able to be consistent when you perform your ritual?
Think about your day to day schedule & routine. Studies show that when we are consistent with new habits they are more likely to stick. It’s OK if you don’t think you can commit to the same time each day- just be prepared to have some extra motivation & discipline for creating the time to practice your ritual.

Will you need to clear or prepare space?
This can actually become a very enjoyable part of your ritual itself but take into account the extra time that will be needed.

Do you feel motivated to be disciplined enough to practice each day?
This is really important. You might have the best intentions to commit to a daily ritual but unless you can be disciplined enough to actually show up & do it (even on the days you don’t feel like it/want to) you will struggle to maintain your practice. Obviously there will be days & circumstances when it’s just not possible which is OK but pay attention to making sure that doesn’t become the norm.

What is your connection or your reason for the ritual you have chosen?
This is another really important thing to think about. A ritual is a symbolic expression so make sure that you know what yours represents. If it doesn’t have any meaning for you, it’s more likely that you won’t commit to it in the long (or even short) run.

Will you practice your ritual by yourself or with others?
Both have pros & cons. Practicing a ritual together can help with motivation & accountability for showing up each day to do it. It can also make you dependent on the other person though, and give you an easy excuse to bail if for whatever reason they can’t commit to it. At the end of the day, choose what works best for you, your lifestyle & your available time.

A daily ritual gives us the chance to connect with ourselves, our values & the world around us. By prioritising our ritual, we prioritise ourselves. Subconsciously, we are reinforcing the fact that we MATTER. It’s for this reason that a daily ritual promotes self-love, creativity, acceptance, health, connection, happiness & a more balanced life.
If we are being honest, isn’t that what we are all looking for?

Photo by Ashley Batz on Unsplash

Share this:

Like this:

Related