Sometimes life gets difficult and you think you can’t cope. In those moments you feel small, helpless and fragile, but above all you feel that nothing is under control, that chaos rules your days and determines your future.
Everything is so complicated that you don’t even know where to start to put some order in your life.
It is precisely in these situations when a daily routine can save your life. Having a series of simple, consciously chosen (and therefore positive) rituals helps you to have some reference points to hold on to so you don’t sink into the anguish of uncertainty.
Today we give you 8 daily rituals that help you to maintain order around you and, therefore, also within yourself. They are useful for your spiritual and mental well-being. Build a daily routine with a few similar steps and you will notice a good change in your life. Let’s go through them:
As soon as you wake up, look at the sky.
When I visited Thailand, I loved to stop and talk to Buddhist monks. One of them once explained to me that the first thing they do to start the day is to look at the sky. No matter if it is still dark, raining or sunny, they consider this simple ritual the key to starting even the most difficult days off right.
It serves as a reminder that in front of the universe we are just grains of sand, and therefore our problems are much smaller than we think.
Never eat in a hurry
Food is nourishment. It is literally something outside of you that you choose to put into you in order to keep living. Food is powerful, for some it is everything: a source of physical pain and mental suffering, a regulator of mood and vitality, healing and curative.
I don’t want to give you advice on what you should eat, but how you might eat it: slowly.
No matter how busy you are, what you have to do next, what others demand of you: always take your time to savor what you put into your body. And do it in the most relaxing way possible: good music or pleasant silence, perhaps outdoors or by a window, in good company or alone.
Nutrition is one of the pillars of a healthy daily routine.
Never engage in two stressful activities in a row.
What is stress but an accumulation of many small negative events?
Morning traffic is not enough to make you nervous. Neither is negative news on the radio. Not even the problems at work that you have to deal with at the office. Not even that argument that was left unfinished when you left the house.
All these events become stress when they pile up one after the other. Between one responsibility and another, always include a small moment of joy. It will be enough to keep the trickle of stress at bay and prevent it from becoming a flood.
Repeat to yourself everything you are grateful for.
You can do it out loud, you can whisper it, or you can write it in your gratitude journal that you fill out before you go to sleep. Here’s the thing: when you are grateful for what you already have, you stop suffering for what you don’t have.
You realize that it’s okay to have dreams and ambitions, but also to deeply appreciate what is happening here and now. Gratitude is the foundation of a happy daily routine.
Be kind to others
You know when you’ve been laughed at, hurt and humiliated? Well, that’s not you. You are not that kind of person. You are the difference you want to see in the world.
This awareness will be like a warm blanket on cold nights, a safe haven from the meanness of others. Being good to others will make your life good. You know what the strongest act of rebellion is these days? Be kind.
Be kind to yourself
It is not true that it is others who make you suffer with their judgments. People who love each other are immune to cruelty, because they know their own worth. You are your own harshest judge.
Change your daily routine: stop, breathe and smile at the person you see in the mirror. Stop being so hard on yourself. You are trying hard, you deserve some support.
Take a moment to meditate, pray or do mantras.
I’m not talking about religion, I’m talking about a moment of inner recollection that connects you to something bigger and makes you see that you are not alone. There is a whole universe around you that exists only because you are part of it.
Take the time to close your eyes. Let the world and its problems outside of you. Breathe consciously. And then say a few words that give you comfort and motivation. Repeat them 5-6 times, if you prefer with your eyes closed. This ritual will give you a lot of peace of mind.
Take a moment to do nothing
Remember that you don’t always have to be productive. You are not here to be slowly devoured by stress and fear. Every once in a while, stop and do nothing. Just surrender to the present moment.
Surrender, literally. Sigh, empty your lungs and mind, don’t tense your muscles, don’t hunger for anything. Enjoy a moment of nothing: it will be filled by the All in the here and now. There is no past to think about, no future goals to pursue. Just life, pure life.
