Moving toward Hanukkah, I think about rituals. Rituals that sustain us, motivate us, nurture us, connect us to each other. Rituals are a rich and powerful part of human existence. Yet, aside from the more existential meanings of rituals, writing rituals can not only be simple, but also can serve a simple function: to help us be consistent.
My second post in this blog, from well over two years ago, was about rituals. Not to pat myself on the back too hard, but I like the simplicity of one passage from that entry: When we engage in the same behavior, day after day, year after year, engaging in a ritual triggers within us a "push" toward certain behaviors.
I have written a good deal about rituals over the past few years, but the one strikes me as the most true.
My second post in this blog, from well over two years ago, was about rituals. Not to pat myself on the back too hard, but I like the simplicity of one passage from that entry: When we engage in the same behavior, day after day, year after year, engaging in a ritual triggers within us a "push" toward certain behaviors.
I have written a good deal about rituals over the past few years, but the one strikes me as the most true.
I agree with the benefits of rituals and routines. But before the change in behaviour, there needs to be a change in mental state. As Kerry Ann Rockquemore puts it: you need to remind yourself that writing is essential for career progress and mobility. As such, it need to become your top priority (not meetings, or marking...)
ReplyDeleteIf it is you priority, then you make the space / time / conditions to make it happen.
It's like changing your eating habits - it needs to start with the mental decision to be healthy. Then, you feel compelled to create the environment and routines that help you make the right choices.