As inherently social conventions, rituals are defined as a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. Historically, we’ve seen cultures utilize rituals to improve health, ward off illness and enhance social connections.

Today, we find comfort in routine because it provides certainty through familiarity. Our pre-pandemic routines of commuting, celebrating holidays, social greetings or enjoying post-work happy hours and workout classes have shifted to accommodate pandemic safety, while still meeting our immediate needs during these uncertain times.

While we’ve seen trends like baking banana bread and puzzles garnering great traction, the novelty of these activities has worn off as we prioritize longer-lasting practices with greater impact. We’ve seen an increased adoption of at-home wellness including virtual workouts, guided meditation apps and adoption of functional unwinding products like CBD, adaptogens and more. We’ve seen greater focus on radical self-care, prioritization of nesting at home and reconnection with nature.

This time has enabled people to pause and re-evaluate where they currently are in life and where they want to go.

This has led to ‘The Great Resignation’, mass migration to rural areas, major changes in relationships, a search for more fulfilling purpose-driven lives, and carving out more time for personal and family connection.

This time of great uncertainty has truly enabled so many to more clearly define what kind of a life they want to lead, and explore what freedom feels like for them, individually. New habits have emerged and will continue, as people have concluded these brave changes are long-term.

Drawing inspiration from our resilient team at Pigeon, we share some examples of how we’ve embraced changes that have aided balance, enrichment, and excitement to colour our lives:

• President and Partner, Elyse Boulet, bravely took flight through skydiving;
• Group Account Director, Martin Carrière, got down-to-earth and cultivated his beautiful Accidental Orchard property in Prince Edward County;
• VP of Strategy and Insights, Christina Essue embraced a hybrid mindset by joining an outdoor silent disco movie club;
• General Manager, Ania Russocki, Designer, Isaak Man, Strategist, Steph Millar and even Group Account Director, Martin Carrière, all welcomed home puppies to spark joy and inspire play in their lives;
• Creative Director, Jessika Neal, fostered her love for crossfit at her local female-led training centre.

As we continue to emerge into an ambiguous future full of questions, we can lean into both our new and adapted rituals for creating a more stable and certain future in a way that is true for how we want to shape our lives for now and for the future to come.