On Creating A Ritual Instead Of A Routine
Ritual : a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order
Routine: a sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program
Lately, Darby and I have been thinking a lot about what it means to have a routine. We're worried about falling into a set of ways that can become mundane and hard to break — but at the same time, consistency can be nice.
This lead me to ponder the idea of "ritual" versus "routine," and ultimately has me ready to commit to having "rituals" as opposed to having a routine — and I'll tell you why.
By definition, a "ritual" is "solemn" or sacred, something to be appreciated as opposed to a "routine," which is more of a prescribed process. I don't know about you — but I'd much rather have solemn moments that are set aside and feel as important as some type of religious ceremony as opposed to have a set of tasks that get checked off of a to-do list.
Mostly, I feel the difference is all about your mindset. Creating a ritual simply means you think about your morning cup of coffee as a time to reflect and prepare for the day ahead instead of looking at it as a necessity. Instead of chugging a mug or two and running out of the door, why not make that morning java feel "ritualistic?" Even if it does mean waking up just a few minutes earlier.
Overall, it's about putting intention behind the things you do and thinking of them as something that's benefiting you. We're definitely interested in moving forward with this mindset and adding some intentionality behind our daily activities.
So, tonight when we begin taking our makeup off, washing our faces and layering our skincare products — we're going to think of it as our bedtime "ritual" instead of our nightly routine. That way, even the most necessary, everyday tasks can feel a little more important to your overall self-care and self-betterment.
And that's an idea we can get behind! Who else will be creating rituals for themselves to practice on the regular?
If you're interested in joining us in our ritualistic endeavors, you should also follow along with these steps to creating a luxurious shower experience.
—Labels and Lacquer girls
Images: Photo by Noemí Jiménez on Unsplash (1); Photo by Alisa Anton on Unsplash (1)