There are some people who thrive on tradition. They seem to get a big sense of place, purpose, and identity from tales of yesteryear. And without traditions, they’re left not knowing what to do.
I used to be very big into tradition myself. I thought that if I did something and enjoyed it once, then it stood to reason that I should do it again next year (or whatever). This thinking gave me a sense of personhood and continuity. Like I was able to navigate life simply from one tradition to the next.
But as I’ve gotten a bit older, I’ve been slowly moving away from most of the traditions I knew as a kid and adolescent. I think this shows growth as a person for me, but that doesn’t mean that tradition is without merit.
The value of tradition
It’s been shown that having our traditions has a positive mental effect on us as humans. Our traditions do bring us comfort and a sense that we understand our lives. When we have a strong sense of tradition, we feel we have a grasp on who we are and where our lives are going, as well as an objective means of measuring that.
Traditions bind us together as people—with friends, loved ones and even members of a community. They help us feel like we belong in a group. And as humans are incredibly social animals, this is really important. We need to feel that sense of belonging to feel happy and healthy.
Traditions also give us something reliable to look forward to. There are tried and true ways of enjoying certain stages of your life (maybe it’s a season like the holidays or an event like a birthday or anniversary), and if you find one of those things that continually brings you pleasure, it makes sense you would want to repeat it, even though you’ve done it already. And having a specific thing you use to associate it with in your brain isn’t a bad way to ensure that there is a repeat experience.
Think outside the box
But there are negatives to holding so tightly to tradition. Because life isn’t a static thing. Your identity and this world are constantly changing, so adapting alongside of them isn’t a bad idea on the whole.
When a big sense of who we are comes from our traditions, we get locked into having the same experiences year after year. There isn’t a lot of room for growth or even just new fun things. There are many ways to enjoy a holiday. If you only recognize one of them, you’re blocking out a lot of potential enjoyment.
And you don’t want to be so bound to the past all the time. Sometimes we’ve simply outgrown our traditions, but there’s no shame in that. So let yourself enjoy the traditions that you love, but if they feel flat to you now, it’s okay to let yourself grow past them or adapt them as you see fit. And however you inject meaning and enjoyment into your existence, I hope you’re getting the most out of this lovely life.
