The Best Part of Waking Up
There is something comforting about rituals. Whether it’s that first cup of coffee in the morning or your daily journal session, personal rituals can give us a sense of security and control over our lives. Even if just for a moment. They can also offer us an opportunity to connect with others with shared rituals.
According to the National Coffee Association, over 60% of adults in the United States drank at least one cup of coffee a day in 2019. Chances are that while we enjoy a cup of coffee during our morning or afternoon rituals we’re sharing that moment with millions of other people. We aren’t alone. Every sip of coffee is part of a story that begins on a coffee farm, depends on our planet’s water cycle, and relies on the physical act of preparing our cup.
Whether you grind your beans yourself or have a barista to thank for your beverage, you can turn your cup of coffee into a moment of rest and introspection. You can rise and grind in a way that is mindful. You can allow yourself to focus on enjoying your cup of coffee and existing with yourself in the present moment.
In 2017, Psychology Today reported that “rituals desensitize the brain’s anxiety-related reaction to error, mitigating the negative experience of personal failure.” Put simply, participating in and completing rituals reduces the chances that we will allow personal failures to negatively impact our behavior. Rituals, in a sense, help us overcome the stressors and anxieties that accompany perceived failures. With respect to the start of a new day, beginning with a ritual gives us an opportunity to press forward in a way that sets us up for success. While our metrics of success may differ, our journeys toward success are often marked by similar struggles. Can I accomplish this? Am I on the right track? Am I making the right choices? How can I achieve my goals in a way that is true to my heart?
Creating rituals, especially those that can be performed and appreciated when we start a new day, can help us lay down a foundation upon which to build a day we can navigate with confidence. From silently meditating while we brew a cup of coffee to doing a five minute yoga upon waking, and countless other rituals we can create for ourselves, the possibilities are endless.
Every new day is a new opportunity to learn about ourselves and make sense of our place in the world. We can reimagine what it means to “rise and grind” and focus on the literal while incorporating the power of rituals into our lives. A new morning, the aromatic grind of coffee beans, and a few moments of mindful solitude can become a ritual to put us on a path toward personal success. One purpose-driven moment at a time.