Whether ancient or brand-new, a ritual is a sequence of actions performed for their collective symbolic significance, rather than any practical outcome. While often linked to religion, rituals can encompass a wide range of activities, anything from singing "Happy Birthday" or toasting with friends, to group dancing or simply shaking hands.

For young people, these rituals may feel especially important in helping navigate the ups and downs of adolescence.

While they might seem meaningless, rituals can be beneficial for individuals and society. Rituals can reduce stress, help you function better, and increase your sense of connection. A study conducted in 2016 found that doing a simple ritual before a task can improve performance by decreasing anxiety and lowering heart rates. “Rituals are famously credited for helping athletes, salespeople, teachers, public speakers, and anyone on the verge of performing a stressful task,” says Monica Vermani, clinical psychologist and author of A Deeper Wellness: Conquering Stress, Mood, Anxiety and Trauma.

Athletes who perform rituals before playing are more successful than those who don’t, according to research which found that removing a player’s ability to perform important pre-game rituals harms their performance. Rituals don’t just benefit those doing them; they change our perception, too. A study from 2021 showed that when people perform rituals, those watching perceive the outcome to be more positive, so basketball players kissing the ball before shooting are believed to be more likely to make the shot.

These small rituals can help foster a sense of control in times when life feels chaotic or unpredictable, something young people routinely have to manage.

While individual rituals help us connect with ourselves, taking part in rituals with other people helps us connect with them; another study from 2021 found group rituals improve social bonding. “Collective rituals can help reduce individual and collective anxieties. Funeral rites and rituals are a great case in point here; they unite people in difficult times,” Vermani explains, while also pointing to the joyful connections we can make at birthday parties, festivals, or other celebrations.

Shared rituals with friends or family help solidify relationships and provide a sense of belonging for children, teens, and young adults.

Creating new rituals

Many of the rituals we practice are rooted in history, but new rituals are created all the time to keep up with modern life. During the pandemic, there was a rise in rituals moving online — think of the virtual birthday parties, graduation ceremonies, and quizzes that you might have taken part in. For young people, online rituals like gaming sessions or social media challenges have become a modern way to maintain social bonds – and as the digital world becomes a preferred venue, technology can serve as a tool for the end goal of connection.

Ritual helps us connect, find meaning, and discover who we are. “Anthropological research suggests that ritual is part of our nature as human beings, and so we will always be driven to perform them. But while ritual is a constant, what changes is the context,” says Dimitris Xygalatas, anthropologist, cognitive scientist, and author of Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts Make Life Worth Living.

“Today in particular, we are finding ourselves in a world that is changing fast, as there is ever increasing mobility, reduced opportunities for meaningful social interactions and traditional family structures are changing. As a result, many rituals may no longer feel relevant. Right now, many people are trying to find new ways of fulfilling this deep seated human thirst for ritual. For example, rather than going to church, they might turn to yoga groups, music concerts, or live-action role-playing games. All those activities are ways of reaping the same benefits of collective ritualization and forging meaningful connections.”

New forms of collective rituals, like hanging out with friends or participating in group activities, are a way youth can cope with these changes.

Rituals are powerful because we can create ones that are part of our daily routine and use them when we need to, says Vermani. “Rituals are like exposure therapy to positive actions we can reinforce to become aligned with good health, wellness, and positive self-talk,” she says. Vermani recommends thinking about situations and settings where you could use support and creating personal, private rituals like a pre-bedtime relaxation routine or grounding ritual before social situations. These rituals can provide the structure and calm needed to handle life’s stresses at any age.

“In a way, incorporating a new ritual into our lives is like going to the gym. The first few times it might feel effortful or awkward, but through regular repetition, we often come to wonder how we ever lived without it”, says Xygalatas. “Rituals are not just a state of mind — they involve the whole body. From doing yoga at sunrise to dancing around a Christmas tree, the most meaningful rituals are those that engage our senses.”

Don’t forget the power of rituals you already have and can take part in. They might be private ones, like ceremonially making a coffee and lighting a candle before you start work, or group rituals, like concerts, seasonal festivals, or community events. Connecting with friends through shared rituals or practicing personal self-care rituals can be powerful ways to foster mental clarity and emotional resilience.

Find out more about the power of rituals in Ted Talks by Dimitris Xygalatas and Ester Perel on the importance of rituals and routines. TheBBC podcast Witch explores rituals as a powerful tool for meaning and belonging. Annie Ridout writes about the power of spiritual rituals in her book Raise your SQ: Transform your Life with Spiritual Intelligence and Casper Ter Kuile covers The Power of Rituals: Turning Everyday Activities into Soulful Practices in his book.