Rituals - stifling or empowering?

I am not sure what images come up in your mind when I say the word ritual. Many of us probably connect the idea with a religious ceremony. However, personal rituals, especially of the self-care variety, have become increasingly popular in recent years. When I googled the word, aside from the ceremonial meaning, it was defined as a series of actions or types of behaviour that are regularly and invariably followed by someone. 

I’m not sure about you, but I for one tend to balk at the very thought of repeating something over and over. Being creative by nature, I enjoy changing things up – it keeps life interesting. I’ve always run from any kind of ritual, including the religious kind, preferring instead the spontaneous expression of life and worship. In recent years, however, I have come to see the value of rituals and even started liking their predictability.

Before working a job with regular hours, I freelanced for ten years. This meant irregular hours, irregular holidays, and irregular pay. I was used to that. When I got that regular job, it meant getting up at 6 am every morning, preparing for work, going to work, and coming back home. How strange that felt at first. However, as time went on, I started enjoying the regularity. It felt safe and comforting. When I became a mom, this need for a fixed routine became even more intense.  

I now have a fixed order of events for my child’s bedtime, an evening ritual for myself, and even a weekly Date Night with my husband. My younger self would surely have shaken her head at me, wondering when I became so predictably boring!

My question today though is – is that necessarily all bad? I find myself getting oddly excited two days before Date Night because I know it’s coming. I also look forward to that cup of coffee I know I am going to enjoy at 8:30 with my cookie, kickstarting me into my day. I could go on.

My gran used to say: Looking forward to something is one of life’s greatest joys. I tend to agree with her these days. What do you think?