With many of us facing increasingly busy lives it can be challenging to maintain a positive, relaxed mindset.

Too much work will leave you tense, and without the opportunity to unwind, it can develop into stress, or even anxiety.

If you’re finding it hard to balance ‘down’ time with a hectic and stressful work schedule, then it may be useful to consider using a ritual.

Starting and ending your day with a calming ritual can help it to flow more naturally.

Usually, rituals focus on engaging senses such as smell or taste in order to connect to the world around you and reduce stress.

You can call on rituals at any time, to calm your nerves and remind you that it will all be okay.

Although the words ‘calming ritual’ may prompt thoughts of meditation and candles, in fact, you can make a calming ritual out of almost anything.

An action becomes a ritual when you do it with intention, awareness and mindful respect.

For instance, simple actions such as getting dressed in the morning or washing up the dishes can become helpful rituals, if you know exactly what you want to achieve.

The following ritual is designed to be completed in the morning and evening, so that you can start your day as you mean to go on and end it feeling relaxed.

The Washing Ritual

 

Whilst doing this ritual in the morning, your intention is to ensure your day runs smoothly and gracefully.

‘Since you brush your teeth every day, why not make it into a ritual?’

 

In the evening, it will be to achieve a level of relaxation and contentment before bed.

This ritual is easy to implement and will add a level of self-care into your morning and evening routine.

If done regularly, you will learn how to achieve a level of calm that can help to prepare you for the day ahead and ensure you achieve a sound night’s sleep.

Ritual Steps

 

• • Begin your day with three deep breaths in and out through the nose.

 

• • State the intention given above or devise your own, but keep it simple, positive, and present.

 

• • Say exactly what you’re doing with each act of your morning and evening ablutions, so you know why you’re doing it. For example, you could say, ‘I am honouring my teeth and making them strong and healthy’ as you begin brushing your teeth; ‘I am giving myself the gift of clear sight’ as you put in your contact lenses; ‘I am keeping my skin clean and healthy’ when you wash your face.

 

• • When you step into the shower, practise a bit of self-massage by allowing the water to fall for a while on your tight shoulders and groggy head.

 

• • Remember to lovingly moisturise your body after your shower, ensuring you have woken up early enough to really take your time over this step.

 

• • If you blow dry your hair, really enjoy the sensation of hot air on your skin.

 

• • Lay out the clothes you want to change into when you return from work in the evening.

 

• • Begin or end your day with gratitude for your unique circumstance and life, blessing all the people who are around you.

 

• • • • • • This extract is from Everyday Calming Rituals by Tania Ahsan (Trigger Publishing, £7.99).