
And greetings from Córdoba, Argentina! Where I’m coming to you live from the rooftop of my new co-working space, and in front of El Paseo del Pastor, and the beautiful cathedral behind called Capuchinos. Yes, that is actually the name of the cathedral. And another fun fact for you, did you know that Córdoba is nicknamed the city of the bells, as there are between 30 and 40 different churches and cathedrals in this city alone? Pretty neat.
So, it is now month five of our Remote Year journey – pretty crazy to believe how quickly the time is going by. And some of the conversations this month have been centered around the idea of home, missing home, and how we can feel at home regardless of where we are in the world.
So that is what I want to talk about today, and more specifically, for those who may be at home, the importance of having some rituals in your day-to-day life.
Now I bet you have daily or weekly rituals, even if you didn’t necessarily realize it.
And I’m going to talk about three ways, three ideas, of how they can help you on a daily basis.
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Rituals can add a bit of structure and stability to your life.
Whether it’s a morning ritual, perhaps you like doing some yoga stretches or your morning exercise. Maybe you’re someone who enjoys a cup of coffee while reading the newspaper, or filling in the crossword. Or maybe you’re someone who likes journaling or setting some affirmations for your day. Perhaps you’re someone who has nightly rituals like watching the news, or flossing while doing some lunges. Or maybe you want to reach out to someone to say goodnight. Maybe you have some weekly rituals, like going to your fave grocery store every Friday afternoon, to set yourself up for the weekend. Or maybe going for a walk in your local park on Saturday or Sunday morning. Whatever it is, having some of those rituals can add some structure, some stability, some regime and routine. So you feel in control, even if life can get messy or you’re in a different environment.
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Rituals can aid in our decision-making.
What do I mean? We are inundated with choices and having to make decisions every day. Barry Schwartz talks about this idea called the Paradox of Choice, and it’s a real phenomenon! Sometimes when we have so many choices and opportunities around us, we don’t know what to choose and it keeps us stagnant! But having certain rituals can help. Whether it’s having that favourite brand of tea that you always drink, or your local grocery store, or having a place you like to get your hair or your nails done. Having some of these things in place can take away from having to make so many trivial decisions on a regular basis. And, can leave some more bandwidth for those more important ones.
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Rituals can give us a sense of security, or a sense of home regardless of where we may be.
I’ve had a few conversations with Remotes here in the group, and one of the first things many of them do when we arrive in a new place is to scope out where their local coffee shop is going to be, where they’re going to do their exercise – be it a local park or a gym – and what they’re going to do in order to have some of their rituals from home. Be it their morning juice, or snacks that they like, whatever it is that reminds them of home. Some of them may also make sure they light candles or burn incense. Having smells or music from home can make you feel like you’re at home and you’re secure wherever you may be.
So there are three ideas of how rituals can aid in your day-to-day life. Now I want to hear from you! What rituals do you have and how do they help you on a regular basis? Share your ideas in the comments below. And if there’s someone in your life who could benefit from this video please share it with them!
About Carol Schulte
International speaker, trainer and certified coach, Carol is on a mission to empower people to live BIG lives (how many folks can say they’ve lived in an Ashram, shaved their head, or bungee jumped naked?!?) no matter what life throws at them. She holds a BFA in Theatre Performance and an MA in Communication, and believes your voice and story have the power to inspire action and instigate change.
Carol is the creator of the initiative ‘Women Living BIG’, for women who want to learn big, play big, and give big. She is committed to helping you get out of your comfort zone to discover what living BIG means to you.
She has led workshops internationally, and has lived, worked and/or volunteered in Thailand, India, Peru, Australia, New Zealand, US, Germany and the UK, and brings a unique and global perspective to all she does. Passionate about many things, Carol is also a volunteer bereavement facilitator, marathon runner, and yoga instructor. |