Every Habit is a Ritual in your Life

Over the Festive period I got into a little routine before bed; I settled down on the sofa, drank a Chaga Latte I was given for Christmas, journalled, then I brushed my teeth, dry brushed and spent 15 mins reading a Bridgerton novel (no judgement here!).

It got to the point where I was looking forward to reading a few pages and lulling myself to sleep. It was becoming my night time routine. And it worked! I didn't use my phone before bed and I unhooked from the day's events in a relaxing, enjoyable way. This is how you stop overthinking and begin forming better habits. It begins with better choices.

Every action brings us closer to light or darkness. This is 100% true and therefore by extension, every habit is a RITUAL we perform in service of light or darkness. The weekend drinking, the social smoking, the time we set for self-care, or the moments of peace in the morning. They add to the scales of our life, sometimes on the light side and sometimes on the dark side. Another way of looking at this is asking which habits are most helpful and unhelpful to you.

But beware because your mind manipulates what you define as helpful. An hour of scrolling your newsfeed may seem like a good way to unwind but when you're comparing your life to someone else, or stressed after seeing the news, it certainly isn't relaxing. So once we cut through the bullshit we really are left with the stark TRUTH of habits. Habits are simply repeated actions which become ingrained into our lives to the point that we perform these unconsciously. They are performed so many times that they become a ritual. Think about the ritual of drawing a bath; maybe you light candles, or play soft music, fill the bath with your favourite bubbles. You are preparing to relax and chill out. Or my latest ritual of a warm drink and book before bed.

So ask yourself: what rituals do I perform that are helpful or unhelpful? How can I put more helpful rituals into my life? How can I make them more fun to help them stick?