Today we discuss the importance of rituals in life and in your relationships. A ritual is a predefined sequence of symbolic actions which are often characterised by formality and repetition.  Weddings, birthday celebrations or funerals, for example, are rituals. Particularly, of course, in the sphere of religions there are strong associations with rituals that provide symbolic value.Why are rituals important?Because rituals are highly structured they help us to have some sense of predictability about the future and possibly create more certainty. They can contribute to lessening anxiety. Rituals create meaning and they can bind us to a particular group or person; they may contribute to group cohesion and unity.Rituals can help to process a loss. For example, a ritual may help you to let go when there has been a painful break up. Rituals are also important to celebrate important moments and mile stones in your relationship. This may be celebrating the end of the working week, anniversaries or any moments in your relationship that you want to mark. Engaging in a ritual helps you to connect. Rituals can also help us when it comes to emotional regulation; they can be soothing, exhilarating or motivating.If you enjoy our podcast, please leave us a review. For Apple Podcast this is most easily done via your iPhone. If you have an android phone, please leave a review on Amazon, Spotify, iTunes or any  other platform that you are using.Suggestions for a podcast? We'd love to hear from you. Please email us at info@therelationshipmaze.comThe Relationship Maze courses:What is your argument style? Find out in our short quiz. You can find a link on our website: https://therelationshipmaze.com.Struggling with a lot of conflict and arguments in your relationship? Learn about communicating effectively and addressing common relationship problems in our Stop Arguing, Start Loving mini course:  https://therelationshipmaze.com/relationshipconflictvsl2.Learn everything you always wanted to know about building and maintaining  loving relationships in our comprehensive course The Relationship Maze, starting with understanding yourself in relationships to understanding your partner and understanding what makes for a successful relationship. We look at common causes of relationship problems and offer solutions. Learn how to address relationship problems and questions without breaking up.Related podcasts:What happens when you 'lose your mind'? - How understanding the structure of your brain helps in conflict situations (Podcast about emotional regulation)