Think of the word “ritual” and you might picture yourself sitting in a circle while a self-professed “guru” waves a stick of sage. But ritual is just another term for an activity done with intention and focus. It can be grand, like a wedding, or small and habitual, like making a cup of tea in the morning.
Rituals are designed to create and reinforce meaning and motivation. They’re excellent reminders and can help build excitement for long-term goals, giving us something to look forward to when life gets a little wobbly. Here are some expert tips on how to get the most out of rituals to meet your goals.
Dust off your journal
Rituals aren’t just a way to stay organised. “Small, consistent practices can create a profound impact on goal achievement and personal wellbeing,” says workplace happiness expert Heidi Horne. The secret lies in their simplicity and regularity.
One impactful ritual to adopt is practicing positive self-talk. Before diving into the busyness of your day, take a few moments to write affirming statements or goal-oriented thoughts in a journal. This isn’t just feel-good advice—science supports the effectiveness of practices such as these. “Psychologist and academic Professor Gail Matthews found that those who wrote down their goals, created action steps and tracked their weekly progress had a 76 per cent success rate,” says Horne. Journalling helps solidify your intentions and keeps you motivated, offering a tangible reminder of what you’re working toward.
Spend some time reflecting
“Evening routines are a great opportunity to wind down, reflect on accomplishments and mentally prepare for the next day,” says Horne. One powerful habit to incorporate is a “brain dump”—writing down any lingering thoughts, worries or to-dos in a journal or your Notes app. This simple act helps to clear mental clutter and prevent racing thoughts from interfering with sleep.
Take a moment to reflect on the challenges you faced and the lessons you learned from them, acknowledging your growth and resilience. It’s also a great time to identify one key priority for the following day, giving you a clear intention to wake up to.
Use a habit tracker
We often set small goals (pack lunch, buy less clothing, read more books) and then give ourselves a hard time for not making them part of our everyday life. One ritual that can help with this is a habit-tracker. “There are free designs online that you can print or you can try a habit-tracking app,” says financial coach Lexi Smith, founder of MoneyVine. She recommends taking time to list the things you want to do more or less of, without judging yourself. Then check in with your list weekly or even daily in the mid-morning so that you’re ready to start implementing those goals in the hours ahead. It’s a way of supporting future-you while showing yourself a little compassion.
