From Routine to Ritual: Small Shifts for Big Changes
Is it fair to say that the past few years have been HARD for most of us? I think so. Even the most resilient women I know have been stretched by everything that’s come our way. It’s been a lot. I sometimes wish there was an easy button that I could press to make the outside pressures… well, easier. But there’s not. So I’ve had to dig a little deeper for ways I could flex my resiliency muscles in order to stay happy(ish) and healthy.
One things I’ve been doing this year is bringing more intentionality to my routines and figuring out where I can make a shift from routine to ritual.
You might be wondering: what is the difference between a “routine” and a “ritual”.
A routine is simply a series of actions that are regularly followed. And we all have routines, don’t we? You likely get ready for your work day in generally the same order of tasks every morning. Or you have a wind-down routine as you get ready for bed. You might even go through these routines at approximately the same times every day. And, chances are pretty good that you sort of end up on autopilot as you do.
Rituals, on the other hand, are basically the opposite of being on autopilot. Rituals can still be a series of steps or actions and can even look like routine from the outside, but there’s a certain sense of purpose and intentionality behind them. In fact, one of the dictionary definitions for “ritual” is a “a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order.”
But I’m not talking about religion here…
And I’m not even talking about making a big or complicated change to something that’s already sort of working.
I’m talking about bringing awareness into your everyday life and making big shifts over time through a series of small tweaks.
Quality over quantity these days.
Let’s take my morning routine, for example.
I had been feeling a little bit blah in the mornings and like I was literally and figuratively going through a lather-rinse-repeat cycle as I got ready for my days. It wasn’t exactly giving me the inspiring start I was looking for.
So I took an intentional look at the couple of places that I could add or tweak what I was already doing. Because I share my mornings with my husband and preschooler, these changes needed to be relatively minor and not disrupt the flow.
Here’s what I came up with to find more joy and certainly more sanity in the mornings:
I splurged on a shampoo and conditioner that smell absolutely divine. It’s like a shot of aromatherapy on wash days. By elevating the simple task of getting my hair clean into something that feels (reasonably) luxurious I found myself slowing down for just a few more seconds. Certainly more zen than the rush-rush-rush from before.
I’ve started taking an extra minute at the end of my shower to meditate. I focus on how the water feels on my skin and take a few deep breaths while I do so. As a busy mom, it’s sometimes the only chance I get during the day.
I sit down with my coffee and enjoy it while it’s still warm. I used to be the queen of running around with a half-finished mug while I tried to multitask my morning to-do list. And I’d end up swigging some of it lukewarm before tossing whatever just got too cold. By taking a few minutes to actually enjoy what I’m doing, I’ve found that I don’t even drink as much as I used to.
I’ve consciously simplified my makeup and hair routines. I know a lot of women really enjoy the variety of switching up their looks from day to day, but I have never been glamorous. Honing in on a classic, easy look not only helped me feel really great in my skin (almost) every day, it also reduced physical and mental clutter.
See? Nothing earth shattering. Just almost-imperceptible changes that have added up to a pretty big shift in the quality of my mornings.
Want to try it for yourself?
Take a few minutes to list the steps in one of your routines (morning or bedtime routines are a great place to start)
Write down two or three words that describe how you currently feel (or think) as you go about your routine
Now, write down how you want to feel (or think)
Take a look back at your list and star one or two of the steps where the tiniest tweaks could help you get closer to the goal you wrote down in step #3
Try it for a month and see what happens; adjust if you need to
Repeat for other routines in your life
Ready to give it a shot but not sure where to start? Drop me a line and let’s chat about how I might support you: ec @ emilycornell.com