By Nataly Kogan

How to turn routines into uplifting rituals

Tags Living Happier

One of my favorite things is to find a tiny bit of joy in unexpected places.

This week I want to share with you one way I love doing this: by turning routines into rituals.

All of us have routines that fill our days, like getting ready in the morning, commuting, driving kids to after-school activities, cleaning up after dinner, and so on. These are things we do regularly, often almost on auto-pilot.

So what if there was a way, without hardly any effort, to turn some of these routines into uplifting rituals, ones that give us a bit of peace or energy?

There is.

The difference between a routine and a ritual is intention. When we create a ritual, we can do the same set of tasks as with any routine, but we infuse them with a sense of meaning and intention. The effort required is tiny.

It's the difference between grabbing a cup of tea in the morning and drinking it without even registering that you're drinking tea or designating a favorite cup as your "Morning Comfort Tea Cup", always using it for your morning tea, and taking a minute to stand still and breathe deeply as you brew your tea.

I invite you to come up with a few simple ideas to turn several routines which are already part of your day into more uplifting, meaningful rituals. It will give you a little peace of mind and a tiny space of joy away from the chaos.

Here's a short Happier Boost video to help you do this:

 

Don't miss your happier boost!

Subscribe to our weekly email to get practical tips and inspiration to help you feel more joyful and resilient.