Hello dearest achievers! How was your day today? Or may be how is your day treating you so far? From wherever you are, this article concerns you!

I have always had a busy life, be it with studies, work, family, friends, travelling, shopping or writing. But somehow I always enjoyed it. To me, sitting down doing nothing, is not my cup of tea, but I was always very categorical about one thing: My sacred time.

I have read a beautifully written article on Flipboard entitled: "This is the number 1 ritual you need to do every day" by Eric Barker, and I was delighted to come across scientific researches and explanations about the importance of a ritual, be it daily or weekly. The article states: "The most important thing is that, "YOU" do your ritual. It's yours and the more personal you make it, the more consistently you use it, the more powerful it can be."

Rushing through our day is common and normal, but it is vital to look forward to that one thing we will do at the end of the day or on a specific day. That one thing, that makes us happy and motivates us to spend our day or week better. For some, enjoying a warm bath or appreciating a hot drink in the morning quietly, helps kick off the day better and if that ritual is missed for whatever reason, we feel that our day will not last very well.

But why do these rituals make us happy or happier?

It is simply because we are focusing our attention on what we are doing which brings out more enjoyment. For instance, I have 2 important daily rituals. First, is the hot bath that I enjoy at the end of every day, with sweetly fragranced gel douches, candles lit, and a relaxing music in the background. This, to me, is bliss. And without this, I feel that I cannot relax throughout my evening. 

Second, is the meditation that I do before going to bed.  It helps me relax, introspect, release the fatigue and stress, make my mind empty and really feel disconnected from the world outside. I need that moment.

A personal ritual is extremely vital. It can be while enjoying a warm infusion with a what you love reading the most. It can also be about doing meditation or relaxation techniques with incense sticks, dimmed lights and why not a waterfall sound at the back. Some feed their souls by listening to their favourite songs. Others, watch their favourite TV shows, but if it's too loud and too bright it may be aggressive to your senses. Or even, watering your plants in your garden and pulling out those nasty weeds while talking to your plants and giving them some loving touches.

Your ritual strictly depends on you, since it will bring solace to only you. You decide how you want your ritual to be. I personally advise and recommend everyone to have such special rituals every day. Not to confuse with everyday "routines" that we robotically do but I am referring to something really indulging and relaxing.

Pair rituals are also beneficial and they can be with your best friend, your sibling, your parent or of course... your other half. Do you enjoy a telephone conversation everyday with your parent or sibling? This can be a very motivating ritual! Couples, apart from love-making, which is indeed a very good ritual, I'd suggest you really go for something different where you both talk, share and enjoy, such as a dinner date, a day at the beach or a walk in the park.

I encourage this because, couples living together share many activities and this may build a dangerously monotonous routine. Instead, make time for a ritual where both of you look forward to share. Feel genuinely happy, intimate and relaxed.  If it's not daily, choose a special day. My husband and I, we have our sacred Sundays due to our busy lifestyle!

Group rituals exists in the form of socialising during a get together, spiritual retreats, at the gym or while partying and these are mostly weekly or monthly. But again, in any ritual, pair or group, you must be happily enjoying!

It is very important to have our little rituals with other people but, personal rituals are what you should prioritise and the rest will follow through.  I definitely recommend personal rituals where least or no technology is used, because with social media, serials and games, you are not really switching off. I would suggest things that really activate at least 3 of your  5 senses and that allows you to release stress and fatigue.

"Not only, rituals help us overcome sadness and grief, but they also help us connect with ourselves."

They relax us, thus they help us perform better at school, university or work. Rituals also help us deal with the outside world better since we release the stress and negativity that we tend to absorb. They help us become more stable in our relationships because they make us stable emotionally and mentally.

It is vital to know that, when you, as an individual, you are not allowing yourself a daily "feel good" ritual, then you are hindering yourself from relaxing and releasing. This will lead to the inability of co-existing with your partner, and thereafter inability to handle your family. You will least enjoy rituals with people closed to you and this will then lead to a blockage in sharing special moments with friends. It will become more difficult to interact positively at work or at school, as frustration will start to build up. Again, you will bring the stress from outside back in your personal space without being able to release it, and this will have a knock on effect on your whole surrounding. 

It is indeed a vicious circle that we need to turn into a virtuous one. How?

Begin with what makes you feel completely and wholly relaxed. Don't expect others to do it for you, it is neither their job nor their responsibility. Make time to give yourself time. Disconnect from the world outside and connect to the world inside of you by listening to the voice within you. Release the stress, the anger, the fatigue and the frustration. Welcome the relaxation, the calmness and the feel-good energy. Introspect more, and tell yourself frankly and honestly, what you've done wrong or right, then we accept, forgive and try moving on.  This not only makes us better but it makes us stronger.

"Start doing that one thing that makes you feel good and you'll see, you'll make everyone around you happy."