18 Nov The Powerful Psychology of #Traditions
We carve the pumpkin, and the turkey. Light the Menorah. Wear the team gear during the game. Sing “Sweet Caroline.” Listen to Future before the 200 butterfly. Bless ourselves with holy water. Salute the flag.
They’re rituals. They’re religious, cultural, and civic. Every society has them. We do them for our families, for our countries, for our teams. (Just try to neglect them: “But we always have monkey bread Christmas morning!”)
Turns out, these rituals aren’t magic; they’re science. And (no surprise) why we have them and perform them is the subject of studies.
Follow the links for the details, but here’s a glimpse of the findings: Pre-task rituals can reduce anxiety and improve performance. Engaging in a sequence of ritualistic movements tricks the brain into thinking it’s in an arena of stability and predictability. Which is calming.
More on point for the holiday season: Rituals unite us. They solidify and sacralize human bonds. They enhance our sense of belonging. They also can enhance our perception of value: A ritual for eating chocolate can make the chocolate taste even better.
So keep up those traditions, as they feed your soul. Start new ones with extended family and business partners. Traditions transcend family bonds. They reach into your community and your work life. And it is all good–for you and others.
Enjoy the season.
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