This may be a bit of an overstatement, but I think just about all the positive outcomes I've experienced in my life have happened when I maintain healthy rituals. Running, writing, building friendships, meditating have been the bedrock of good emotional health for me.
For various reasons, I keep having to learn this lesson. I'm feeling good because of the rituals, and then I have lapses and think I don't need them anymore. Then time passes and I wonder why I'm feel discouraged and crappy again. Call it the (lapsed) Catholic upbringing, but rituals are a crucial way I sustain myself. And sure enough, when I go back to my rituals/habits, I always feel better. Thank you for this reminder.
That's such an amazing reflection, Miguel, thank you for sharing this! If you're open to a suggestion:
One thing I learned recently is that because our brain craves novelty, it's common to abandon rituals/routines after a while. So, to keep things novel it might help to actively change up our rituals on a regular basis, maybe even taking a short, conscious break from them (for instance: "for one week every quarter, I take a break from writing" or "for a few days, I'll explore different meditation styles").
You know, that's not something I've ever thought of, but it makes a lot of sense. Even with physical exercise, if you don't change things up periodically, other parts of the body get neglected, and the rituals over time can grow stale. Thanks for this insight and suggestion.
This may be a bit of an overstatement, but I think just about all the positive outcomes I've experienced in my life have happened when I maintain healthy rituals. Running, writing, building friendships, meditating have been the bedrock of good emotional health for me.
For various reasons, I keep having to learn this lesson. I'm feeling good because of the rituals, and then I have lapses and think I don't need them anymore. Then time passes and I wonder why I'm feel discouraged and crappy again. Call it the (lapsed) Catholic upbringing, but rituals are a crucial way I sustain myself. And sure enough, when I go back to my rituals/habits, I always feel better. Thank you for this reminder.
That's such an amazing reflection, Miguel, thank you for sharing this! If you're open to a suggestion:
One thing I learned recently is that because our brain craves novelty, it's common to abandon rituals/routines after a while. So, to keep things novel it might help to actively change up our rituals on a regular basis, maybe even taking a short, conscious break from them (for instance: "for one week every quarter, I take a break from writing" or "for a few days, I'll explore different meditation styles").
Thanks for sharing!
You know, that's not something I've ever thought of, but it makes a lot of sense. Even with physical exercise, if you don't change things up periodically, other parts of the body get neglected, and the rituals over time can grow stale. Thanks for this insight and suggestion.
You’re very welcome!