When you hear the word ritual, your thoughts probably go straight to chanting and chalices. Rituals are actually woven throughout our lives. If you’ve ever blown out birthday candles after being serenaded with a tuneless song, you’ve taken part in a ritual.
What differentiates a ritual from an everyday habit? Habits are straightforward, no flourishes needed. Rituals have style, and hinge on the emotions and meaning behind the act. Habits can automate us, while rituals animate us.
Rituals hold the power to turn the most ordinary acts into the most memorable moments. We use them to increase productivity, pleasure, and purpose in our lives, sometimes without even realizing it. This short quiz will assess where you’re already using rituals, and where you may be missing opportunities to add them to your life. We’ll ask you questions about three different places that rituals are at play: Rituals for Yourself, Rituals in Your Relationships, and Rituals at Work and in the World.
Section 1: Rituals for Ourselves
1. Your morning routine is the same every day (you always brush your teeth before showering - or vice versa), and the idea of doing them out of order makes you uneasy even though you can’t explain why.
Section 1: Rituals for Ourselves
2. Before a big meeting or game, you run through a pre-performance routine or say certain phrases to yourself in your head (like, you can do this!).
Section 1: Rituals for Ourselves
3. You knock on wood to try to make sure something bad doesn’t happen. (Did you know that about half of people knock twice, and half knock three times?)
Section 1: Rituals for Ourselves
4. When you make changes in your life – like graduating, or starting a new job – you make sure to celebrate or commemorate your new direction, and the new you.
Section 2: Rituals in Relationships
5. You’ve attended a significant other’s holiday gathering and had the feeling their family was doing it “wrong.”
Section 2: Rituals in Relationships
6. You and your significant other have little nicknames or phrases that are unique to your relationship.
Section 2: Rituals in Relationships
7. You’ve taken items belonging to an ex, or pictures of you and that ex, and torn them up, burned them, or thrown them away.
Section 2: Rituals in Relationships
8. You’ve listened to a special song or looked at specific pictures to grieve and honor someone close to you who has passed away.
Section 3: Rituals at Work and in the World
9. You and your co-workers have an established activity to bond as a group (like a happy hour or sharing good news every Monday).
Section 3: Rituals at Work and in the World
10. You’ve attended a religious service, even one different from your chosen faith, and felt moved.
Section 3: Rituals at Work and in the World
11. You always make sure to hug it out or shake hands and make up after a fight or conflict.
Section 3: Rituals at Work and in the World
12. You’ve been on a team that always did the same thing (like shouting certain words or doing specific movements) before a game.
ALL DONE!
Fill out the form below and get your results.
Our system experienced an error while submitting your answers. We apologize, please try again