How Rituals Can Improve Your Health

We all rely on routines. They keep us on track with the hectic nature of daily life. Perhaps your routine is your morning coffee, a walk with the dog, or habitual exercise. Whatever it may be, routines can be imperative to keeping you sane in an otherwise crazy world. Sometimes, however, routines become mundane and are done out of necessity. The power of turning routines into rituals comes from adding intention to your actions.

Rituals differ from routine because they are done with a purpose. Rituals create

pause and focus in your day. By committing a moment in time to one meaningful task, you are acknowledging what is important to you. Rituals usually have some sort of meaning attached to them, which often improves motivation

and effort. The space we are creating in order to act on a commitment creates higher adherence in an effort to achieve a goal. A few of our favorite rituals include:

• Morning pages: Stream of consciousness journaling done first thing in the morning to calm, comfort and prioritize the day at hand.

• Setting intentions: Setting your focus and energy for the day. Identifying how you want to feel or act brings clarity and productivity to your day.

• Daily gratitude: Ending each night with one thought of gratitude promotes a more positive outlook on life.

Creating daily rituals can also bring to light some of your unconscious unhealthy or unfulfilling habits - take for example, mindless snacking or emotional eating. By creating rituals to alleviate stress and anxiety, you can create habits that promote overall wellness in your life.