The Power of Rituals Keep Your Head in the Game
How to create rituals in your every day that help you to stay calm, focused and productive.
There is no doubt that companies today are challenged to slim down, be profitable and meet the needs not only of its board, but the needs of society as well. Society demands that companies are authentic, transparent and have a purpose. These pressures force larger, older corporations to go through a transformation process and these processes put a lot of pressure on employees to make it happen.
How can you, as the employee or leader, keep your head in the game and not get sidetracked, lost or stuck during the transformation process?
One possibility is through rituals.
What are rituals?
Rituals help us to transform, let go, create acceptance and be ready for the change.
They are a way of acknowledging our emotions and process them, so we don’t get stuck.
Rituals are often symbolic, a bit spiritual and we perform them physically in order to connect mind, body and soul.
They are simple, easily repeatable and shouldn’t take a lot of time.
What is the difference between a ritual and a habit?
A ritual is done with complete attention and with an intention in mind.
A habit is something done without thinking
Food habit = eating the same healthy breakfast every day
Food ritual = giving thanks before eating, looking at your food and eating with intention and presence
This isn’t about magic, candles or incense.
(Though it can be if you want.)
The most important point about a ritual is stopping to notice, giving yourself space to really experience what is happening and setting your intention on how you want to move forward.
Create Your Own Transformation Ritual
This is the basic way to create a ritual. Start simple and see how it feels. I provide other sample rituals below if you want to try something already defined.
1. Stop and acknowledge
Think about what is going on and notice how things are changing and shifting.
Give this change a name.
2. Give “it” space to exist
Most of the time we try to ignore the feelings and emotions in order to stay busy though not productive.
Take the time to connect with your body.
Take a deep breath and see physiologically, what is happening within your body.
Are you tight in any areas or is anything cramping?
How is your breathing (fast, slow, labored)?
How does your head feel?
3. Create Your Intention
At this moment you want to start shifting your energy towards accepting how things are right now (knowing it can change.)
State how it is right now.
Identify what your wishes are moving forward.
4. Move Towards Acceptance
Making peace with the change may not be easy. Giving yourself space to really understand how you feel and “digest” what is going on helps you to get through it and find comfort in the process.
3 Sample Rituals to Try
RITUAL FOR: Ending a Relationship or Job
1. Stop and acknowledge
Write a letter to the person who ended the relationship or position. Do not send it to them. This is for you to get all of your thoughts and feelings out onto paper. Realize it is what it is.
2. Give it space
Take a moment to feel what is coming up for you in your body, heart and mind.
3. Create your intention
In what way do you want to move on?
4. Move towards acceptance
Symbolically get rid of this letter. Either safely burn it or crumple it up and throw it in the garbage while saying to yourself… how you now want to move on.
RITUAL FOR: When things get tough and you feel unsteady and insecure.
1. Stop and acknowledge
Get out into nature. A park, by a lake, in the forest, in a green area or an open space where you can see the sky and breathe fresh air.
If you can, take off your shoes and connect with the ground.
Feel yourself grounding into the earth.
2. Give it space
Take a moment to feel what is coming up for you in your body, heart and mind.
3. Create your intention
Imagine you are creating roots into the ground and creating stability for yourself.
4. Move towards acceptance
Take a deep breath and feel how your roots are supporting you.
RITUAL FOR: When you want to create something new
1. Stop and acknowledge
Find some color pens or crayons and some paper.
Take a moment to draw out a picture that represents the situation. It can be a symbol or a couple of words put together. It can also be a picture. No need to be an artist.
2. Give it space
Take a moment to feel what is coming up for you in your body, heart and mind.
Feel what this picture represents.
3. Create your intention
On a new sheet of paper… draw a positive picture or write words that brings you one step closer to what you want to have in your life.
4. Move towards acceptance
Take a deep breath and feel how that new picture would fee.
When to do or perform your ritual.
Do your ritual especially when you feel overwhelmed AND start a regular practice either weekly or daily to continually clear yourself of the negative or stuck energies.
You will start feeling a difference and experience even clarity towards to the challenges you are facing when doing it regularly. This helps to center yourself and create focus.
Good Reading
For more rituals to try… check out the book:
Rituals for every day, by Nadia Narain and Katia Narain Phillips.
For exploring healthy habits… check out the book:
Better than before, mastering the habits of our every day lives, by Gretchen Rubin.
To your health and mastery of transformation!
