What is a Wellness Ritual?

A wellness ritual is a set of sequenced activities or actions with a symbolic purpose. Like traditions, rituals can be relevant in diverse areas of our lives, ranging from how we wake to how we work to how we rest. But for the sake of this article, we are going to focus on rituals for our well-being.

We create wellness rituals for alleviating illness and elevating well-being with the basis of the practice being about how you want to feel afterward.

A beautiful aspect of a ritual lies in the actions we take to perform them and the WAY we carry out each action. Being fully aware of our senses and surroundings or mindfully connecting with the body, mind, and spirit are examples of adding intention behind the action used when performing a ritual.

Performing a ritual does not have to be fancy or flashy. You can perform your ritual in the simplest of ways and with the most ordinary of everyday activities.

Why is it Important to Create a Wellness Ritual?

It is important that when entering the new year, you feel as clear and sure as possible about where you’re heading. Rituals are great for grounding you and giving you a sense of direction.

Did you know that Dr. Maya Angelou created a personal writing ritual for herself? Her rituals were very intentional to her achieving her goal of finishing her book. She would rent a hotel room, remove all distractions, prepare a comforting environment for herself, and start writing every day at the same time.

Creating a wellness ritual is not about checking boxes in your self-care checklist; But instead creating actions infused with presence, consciousness, and gratitude. It’s a way to integrate the beauty of ordinary days into your connection with Spirit.

Rituals are essential for building better habits, guiding your daily behavior, helping you towards your goals, and ultimately transforming your life. I’m here to help you accomplish this by sharing these seven ways you can create a wellness ritual.

Create a Wellness Ritual in 7 Ways

1. Set an intention.
Your intention acts as the motivation behind what you want your day to look like. If your intention is to spread kindness, then writing a greeting card to a special someone or sending a friendly text can be a part of your wellness ritual. Setting intentions can help keep you grounded during the ups and downs by reminding you of your primary purpose. I recommend this ritual in the morning to start your day with mindfulness and ease. Need help with setting new intentions for the year ahead? Find out how in five steps here.

2. Greet each new day with gratitude.
After waking up, grab your gratitude journal and jot a few things you have to be grateful for. You can also sit in stillness, take a few deep breaths, bring to your mind’s eye someone you are grateful to have in your life, and meditate on them.

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3. Hydrate with warm lime water.
I benefit from this ritual so much that I perform it twice a day before starting my morning movement and kick off my afternoon routine. Hydrating with warm water and lime helps maintain tissue, cell, and organ health, enhancing your mood and increasing metabolism. Staying consistently hydrated benefits digestion, joint lubrication, blood circulation, and your nervous system. The warm water prompts better relaxation, while the lime high in vitamin C and antioxidants boosts immunity. I suggest performing this ritual in the morning. And when you do, really take your time to stop, feel into the benefits of the water.

4. Take a tea break.
A wonderful ritual for those moments when your energy levels start to drop, create a sacred moment for yourself with no distractions, where you can press the reset button. Connect with your senses, steep your favorite blend and stay present during each step of the process, from boiling the water to taking that first sip.

*Self-Care Tip: Sip on herbal, caffeine-free tea in the evening.

5. Treat yourself to an at-home spa day.
Pick a day on the weekend to treat yourself to a spa experience at home. Soak, cleanse, rinse, and repeat as you not only physically relax but also release any blocked emotions. Start the week fresh by lighting some candles, having a self-massage, and putting on a face or hair mask. Enhance your senses with essential oils. Sprinkle flower petals or bath salts into your bathwater. Line your tub with calming crystals.

Osea Malibu’s masks and exfoliants are a must for my at-home spa days.

6. Make breakfast more mindful.
Create a wellness ritual by making your first meal of the day a time for you. Enjoy the process of cooking your breakfast. Get creative with your breakfast bowl by selecting the toppings and chopping different fruits. Share your meal with someone you love or with yourself curled up with a good book and a cup of hot tea.

7. Move at the same time every day.
I usually move my body at the end of my morning routine, with a 30-minute yoga session and a walk or run for at least one mile. The point is to find the time that’s easiest for you to take at least 30 minutes of your day to move in whatever way you can that feels good to you and your body. It doesn’t always have to be a workout. It can be as simple as a morning walk or a mid-day dance.

Prefer a guided online yoga class? Join me, other top teachers, and GLU Teacher Training alumni for online yoga sessions that you can do at home and include in your wellness ritual.

What’s Your Wellness Ritual?

Tell me in the comments what your current wellness ritual looks like. Are there any of the above rituals you are willing to incorporate into your daily practice?

If you want to receive better clarity on the wellness habits you’re seeking to build, be encouraged to make healthier changes, and learn new techniques to reinforce your daily wellbeing, then join my Get Loved Up 10-Day Health, Fitness & Self-Love Challenge. This 10-day online challenge is for anyone who wants to thrive in their personal wellness practice. You can learn more about my challenge here.