The the transformative power of everyday actions Norton, Michael 1975- creator author text bibliography xxu 2024 monographic eng viii, 272 pages : 24 cm "Our lives are filled with repetitive tasks meant to boost productivity--what we come to know as habits. Over time, these habits (for example, brushing your teeth or putting on your right sock first) are done on autopilot. But when a layer of mindfulness accompanies a habit--when we focus on the precise way an act is performed--a ritual has been created. Now, an everyday act goes from black-and-white to technicolor. And as author Michael Norton explains here, it's these rituals that make life worth living. Think of the way you savor a certain beverage, the care you take with a certain outfit that only gets worn on special occasions, the unique way that your family gathers around the table at the holidays, or the secret language you enjoy with your significant other. To some, these behaviors may seem quirky, but because rituals matter so deeply to us on a personal level, they saturate our lives with purpose and meaning. Rituals can heal a community experiencing a great loss, guide a speaker through a difficult presentation, drive a stadium of sports fans to ecstasy, inspire courage in soldiers going into combat, and help us rise to challenges and realize opportunities. Among those who have made effective use of rituals are Maya Angelou, Keith Richards, Barack Obama, and Steve Jobs. Drawing on decades of original research, author Michal Norton reveals that shifting from a "habitual" mindset to a "ritual" mindset can both enhance performance and add meaning to your life" -- Part I: What rituals do. Preface: Reenchanted -- What are rituals? -- You get out of it what you put into it -- The ritual effect -- Part 2: Rituals for ourselves. How to perform -- How to savor -- How to stay on track -- How to become -- Part 3: Rituals and relationships. How to stay in sync -- How to survive the holidays -- How to mourn -- Part 4: Rituals at work and in the world. How to find meaning at work -- How to divide -- How to heal -- Epilogue: A ritual life. adult Michael Norton. Includes bibliographical references (pages 223-261) and index. Habit Conduct of life Mindfulness (Psychology) ethics (philosophical concept) Conduct of life Habit BF335 NOR 9780241465431 (hardback) Adli 240412 20260820123821.0 eng