Thus far, my twenties have been a stark contrast to my youth. Days filled with education, marching band rehearsals, and countless hours spent playing World of Warcraft have most assuredly given way to work, grocery shopping, and other weekend errands. I do find it interesting that, despite the changes I’ve endured over the course of my twenties, my magnetic relationship with rituals has never wavered. Through all of the chaos, career changes, new friendships, and relationships, the importance of the daily ritual remains – like a warm hug from a friend or parent, there to coax me gently into and out of my day – like no stress or worry can disrupt its gentle embrace.
I find that these rituals become a little harder to hold onto the older I get. What was once something that I could do on autopilot is something I have to be more mindful of. Calm mornings with breakfast and a coffee easily become chaotic noise as I rush from the bed to the bathroom, to the kitchen to make coffee, the malaise of morning sleepy-eyed exhaustion threatening everything I take for granted in the morning. Rather than gently waking up, I hit the snooze button six times and panic my way out of bed, into my clothes, into my desk chair to immediately start my workday. When I’m not mindful of my life, I find these rituals float away like a feather in the wind.
In an ideal world, I think my morning would start with no alarm – but, we live in a work-dominated world and I just do not foresee that changing any time soon. I’d leisurely walk over to the bathroom, rinse my face, moisturize, brush my teeth, etc. Immediately after, I’d spend the next half-hour to an hour sipping on fresh coffee, eating my breakfast, and reading something thought-provoking to start my day. This, as one can imagine, almost never happens.
In an ideal world, my evenings would start with a nutritious, home-cooked meal, followed by engaging in activities that I or my partner are interested in at the given time. I’d slowly wind down with a good book, lit candles, maybe some tea if I’m feeling a hot beverage, and preferably no screens before bed (except my kindle). I find that I am better about this sometimes, but other times I’m not. Ideally, I’d end out my evening with a shower and a skincare routine, which is something I’m pretty persistent about.
While I don’t always perform these rituals to a tee, nor do I succeed at doing them every day, I find that they’re absolutely vital to my success. When I let rituals fall to the wayside, I feel the effects of it. My brain fog increases, my stress levels skyrocket, and I generally just feel like I’m not doing anything productive. By contrast, my life when guided by rituals feels intentional, productive, and positive. I want to be more purposeful in pursuing my rituals and try to make them a foundation of my life – it will never be perfect, but it will be something I prioritize.
I also love engaging with others’ rituals. I love seeing morning and evening routines, coffee routines, or the rituals an artisan engages in before and during their craft. I find it inspiring and comforting. I’d love to hear from you about your rituals.
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