How to Use Rituals to Ease Anxiety and Boost Your Mood

Are you looking for a way to ease anxiety and feel more grounded during this pandemic? A simple way is to honor rituals.

Every afternoon around 2 p.m. I pull out my ‘briki ‘(a traditional, small pot) and demitasse cups to make authentic Greek coffee for my husband and I. Making this is a process: measuring out the coffee and sugar using a little teaspoon, using a cup to get just the right amount of water, and stirring the coffee until it dissolves. Then watching it carefully on the stove until the foam rises to the top, pulling it off just before it overflows. Even pouring it out must be done in a very specific way, to take care not to disturb the rich crema. Now you may wonder –  why take the time to make coffee in such a painstakingly way when one can simply get a machine to do it quickly and automatically. The answer is ritual – there’s just something so comforting and meaningful about it.

Ritual is the answer to easing anxiety and giving ourselves simple, soothing pleasure during these sometimes cold, dark, turbulent times. Engaging in rituals, or mindful habits, leads to benefits we could really appreciate right now:

Rituals can:

• boost confidence
• improve performance
• alleviate grief
• reduce uncertainty
• promotes a sense of control

We are creatures of habit so we thrive when we engage in consistent habits. There are various types of rituals and they’ve been around since the beginning of time. Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do.”

Tom Brady’s Ritual:

NFL star quarterback Tom Brady confesses to using pre-game rituals to improve his performance and effort. He claims his wife got him into the ritual of taking special items to the game and setting up an altar. “I have these little special stones and healing stones and protection stones and she has me wear a necklace and take these drops she makes and say all these mantras,” Brady said.

Ryan Seacrest’s Ritual:

Ryan Seacrest, of American Idol fame (among other things), reveals he has an end-of- the-day ritual that allows him to wind himself down and enjoy better sleep.  It involves a lavender bath, lighting incense and candles, playing spa music and saging (smudging) his bed.

How to Make Rituals More Powerful:

When we can connect our rituals to our values, we can truly increase our happiness and well-being. I value connection, so my coffee ritual with my husband is very symbolic. Tom Brady likely values victory; Ryan Seacrest clearly values self-care.

What rituals are you already doing consistently that bring you comfort and joy? Where can you build some rituals in your life based on what you value? I’d love to hear your ideas so please comment below.