Regular family dinners and ordinary correspondence during the day bring us closer than it seems.
What are Collaborative Rituals
Joint rituals are planned, recurring symbolic events in the lives of people who love each other, regular reminders of the relationship between them. They are created together and express love and caring. It could be the almost automatic hug upon meeting each other and the custom of going on a picnic trip with the whole family on the holidays. By the way, if you are still looking for a strong relationship, eden christian dating app will help you with it.
Rituals form mutual responsibility for relationships, a sense of belonging, trust, and sympathy, increase satisfaction with the relationship, and also allow for a deeper understanding of its meaning and the development of a “culture of two. Such actions are also helpful when the relationship has moved to the level of a family. After all, the family is a group of people, and the stronger the rituals of the group, the stronger it is in itself.
Most such traditions are regularly repeated and may contain elements of the routine. However, because these events transcend domestic interactions, people tend to give them symbolic meaning.
Why Shared Rituals Are Important
In a 2020 article, researchers from Illinois state that rituals together allow partners to see each other in a new light and evaluate how well they fit together. The authors believe that traditions adopted by couples increase the number of “family” interactions, improve understanding of the nature of the relationship, and the ability to resolve conflicts.
As the researchers write, from the first dates people in couples perform certain actions-rituals: go to meetings, give each other gifts, and try to learn more about each other. Based on this, they decide whether or not the relationship has a future. In the premarital period, shared traditions also help strengthen affection and a sense of mutual responsibility, to overcome insecurity and alleviate anxiety.
Of course, shared rituals are not the only factor in determining future family life. They must be combined with love experiences and character compatibility.
That said, the benefits of the rituals that have emerged in a couple persist even after people have decided to tie their lives together in marriage. Thus, in families with their traditions, relationships are stronger and more durable. This can be anniversaries, birthdays and other holidays, regular joint dinners, or going to the movies on the weekends. Rituals allow spouses to understand each other better and communicate with each other more. According to researchers from Harvard Business School, doing even small actions together greatly helps overcome the stress of loss and failure. Incorporating outdoor activities into your daily routine helps improve your bond with your children. You can get mini bikes for kids and explore new routes with them every day to make it all seem like a huge adventure.
An important fact is that family traditions are important in the education of children. They help to develop a child’s sense of responsibility by involving him in common activities. Joint holidays give him a sense of security and stability. In addition, rituals have a positive effect on health. For example, children in families with their traditions go to bed on time more often, sleep better, bear respiratory illnesses easier, and are generally healthier in preschool age.
Writer, psychotherapist, and University of Eastern California professor Brian Robinson says rituals are essential in times of pandemic because they help establish new relationships and strengthen existing ones.
What rituals are perfect for relationships
Pre-marital traditions are generally similar to family traditions, but researchers from the U.S. have named a couple of specific ones as well. For example, people in love often make plans and dream about the future together, as well as get to know each other’s relatives. And if you are not in love yet, but would like to find your love, click here now
Among the rituals useful for couples who are not yet married, and for family relationships, the authors of the study recommend the following:
Enjoyable activities together: dating and romantic dinners, watching movies and TV shows, hobbies, and even shopping.
Expressions of intimacy: declarations of love, compliments, dancing, massages, kissing, sex, and so on.
Communicating and showing interest in each other: calls and correspondence during the day.
Habits and established rules: distribution of household chores, usual daily routine.
Joint household chores: walking the dog, doing the laundry, and so on.
Jokes are understood only by the couple.
Use of opportunities to spend time alone with each other.
Visiting “favorite” places (favorite cafes, restaurants, beaches, resorts), cooking “crown” dishes.
Joint holidays and weekends.
Gifts.
Mutual aid and support: for example, when one of the partners is faced with a very heavy study or workload
Specific examples of rituals that are beneficial for relationships are also suggested by Brian Robinson:
Have regular dinners together at the same time, putting gadgets aside.
Develop spiritually and intellectually together. For example, do meditation, attend online educational events, or read.
Find a place to relax that will bring back fond memories of the time you spent together. Return there regularly.
Make holiday traditions that you both enjoy. For example, celebrate New Year’s Eve at home with the warm company (or just the two of you).
British psychologist and one of the founders of the method of emotional-focused therapy Sue Johnson complements this list with the following recommendations:
Hug regularly and consciously; hold hands; kiss when you wake up and go to bed, when you leave home and when you return. Touching and hugging, especially those people we care about, is good for our health.
Write notes and letters to each other. This is especially important when you are temporarily breaking up or repairing a relationship after an argument.
Talk heart to heart about anything you want or need to discuss. You can set aside a special time for this.
Find special moments just for the two of you. For example, you can have breakfast in bed on weekends, taking care that no one disturbs you.
Have a date regularly. At least once a month.
Praise each other for even the smallest achievements.
Do not be shy to say how much you love each other, and that you are happy to be together – including in public.
Of course, the secret of a strong and long-lasting relationship is not limited to joint rituals. Nevertheless, they can make your union stronger and feel warmer. So do not neglect the opportunity to spend more time together, do not rush to discard family traditions, and love each other.
