How to Create New, Meaningful, and Wellness-Focused Traditions 

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As we approach the end of the year and Thanksgiving time (for those who celebrate), families of all kinds gather to reflect on the year together and practice annual traditions. Some may go apple picking together, go around the table and share what they’re grateful for, or have cooking competitions as part of these fun, autumn traditions. What if you brought tradition-making into your wellness routine? Creating weekly, monthly, or yearly wellness traditions can support your health—both mental and physical—and help you set goals that motivate you. The best part is, you don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving to practice with them. 

What makes traditions meaningful?

The traditions you find meaningful are entirely a personal preference. Some may look forward to a certain tradition all year, while others have no interest in it. That’s why finding a tradition that matches your values is key to making them meaningful. Values are the things in life you deem important.

Anything can be a value, but for this blog, we’ll focus on five core values that many individuals hold close to their hearts: 

• spending time with loved ones
• giving back to others
• expanding on your career
• taking care of your health
• finding joy in life. 

For each of these values, we’ll provide one or more traditions you can incorporate into your life that might be meaningful, based on what already matters to you. 

Traditions for people who value time with loved ones

If you find fulfillment and joy in spending time with those you love, you’ll likely find meaning in traditions that involve them. The possibilities are truly endless with this category—simply doing anything you love with the people you care about can count as a tradition, no matter how small. There is evidence that social connection is linked to improved well-being (Cambieri, 2024), which makes these traditions not only fun for you and your loved ones, but good for your health. Here are a couple of ideas: 

• Pumpkin carving with loved ones: Autumn is the perfect time for pumpkin carving, whether it’s just for fun, a contest, or to decorate your porch. Every year, you could make it a tradition to carve pumpkins with friends, family, coworkers, etc. Compare pictures of the pumpkins each year to see how you’ve improved!
• Visit a new place together: This tradition can be done at any time of year and interval, depending on availability. For example, you could pick one day a month to visit a new town or city you haven’t been to together. Or, if you want to make this a larger, annual tradition, you can plan a weekend or week-long trip to a place you’ve never explored. 

Traditions for people who value giving back to others

Studies have shown that altruism, or helping others without expecting something in return, releases feel-good endorphins in the brain, improving your well-being (Carter, 2014). Of course, you should make sure you’re taking care of yourself first and not overwhelming yourself with giving back to others, as this might lead to burnout. If you value giving back to others, here are some ideas for traditions: 

• Go through your closet and donate clothes to those in need: Not only does this provide necessities to people in need, but it helps you declutter your space. A win-win!
• Volunteer at your local animal shelter: Giving back doesn’t just mean helping people—animals need our love and support, too. By volunteering at your local animal shelter once a week, month, season, or year, you assist staff and give much-needed attention to animals without homes. 

Traditions for people who value expanding on their career

Those who are motivated to better themselves, excel in their work lives, and meet goals will likely benefit from practicing traditions that align with moving forward in their career. Here’s an idea: 

• Make a career vision board: Images and quotes that exemplify where you wish to be in your career by the end of a season or year help you envision your goals. Goals can sometimes seem unclear or intangible when they are just ideas floating around in your mind. By putting them on a physical poster board, you pinpoint what career goals are important to you and feel more responsible for working toward them (Burton & Lent, 2016). Remember to keep your goals realistic, as setting unrealistic goals can adversely affect your mental well-being (Chaffin, 2025). 

Traditions for those who value their health

Taking care of your health and well-being obviously supports your health and well-being—but how can traditions help with this? Here are some ideas:

• Complete a fitness challenge: Everyone is at a different level of experience in exercise and fitness, and that’s okay! Set goals and gear traditions toward your ability and readiness level. For example, if you are a fitness beginner, consider setting intentions to join a fitness class once a month, like Pilates, Zumba, or yoga. If you are a more advanced runner, perhaps you can make a tradition of running a marathon each year. Exercise not only takes care of your body, but it also takes care of your mind by releasing feel-good endorphins (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2023). 

• Attend a yoga retreat: Yoga is great for both physical, mental, and even spiritual health (Cseh et al., 2026). Consider taking a yoga class or making a tradition of attending a yoga retreat to learn new poses, practice with others, and care for your well-being. 

People who value finding joy in life

Most people value being joyful, but setting intentional traditions can help you notice the small aspects of your day-to-day routine that bring happiness more than waiting for joy to come to you. For example: 

• Take a “joy walk”: A “joy walk” is the act of taking a walk outdoors while practicing mindfulness and noticing all the small things that spark joy (Artushin, 2026). This can include noticing a butterfly landing on a flower, passing by a park and hearing children laughing, or someone saying “hello” to you when passing by. Studies have shown that walking in nature is linked to a reduction in stress and negative thought patterns (McDonough, 2023). This, combined with evidence that mindfulness is correlated with improved emotional reactivity and mental health (Keng et al., 2011), makes taking “joy walks” an effective and meaningful tradition. 

Hopefully, you have gained a few ideas for activities to add to your traditions. Whether you practice them in the remainder of th e year or start fresh with new 2027 traditions, we hope you are looking forward to incorporating them into your plans. As always, Sage Counseling and Wellness is here to support you with any wellness concerns along the way. 

To discuss how therapy could help you during this season of your life, please contact Sage Counseling and Wellness or schedule your free 15-minute consultation.

References: 

Artushin, H. R. (2026). How to take a joywalk for your mental health. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/well-read/202609/how-to-take-a-joywalk-for-your-mental-health 

Burton, L., & Lent, J. (2016). The use of vision boards as a therapeutic intervention. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 11(1), 52–65. https://doi.org/10.1080/15401383.2015.1092901 

Cambieri, G. (2024). The importance of connections: Ways to live a longer, healthier life. Harvard T.H. School of Public Health. https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/the-importance-of-connections-ways-to-live-a-longer-healthier-life/ 

Carter, S. B. (2024). Helper’s high: The benefits (and risks) of altruism. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/high-octane-women/201409/helpers-high-the-benefits-and-risks-of-altruism 

Chaffin, C. R. (2025). The danger of expectations: How they shape our lives. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/putting-psychology-into-practice/202501/the-danger-of-expectations-how-they-shape-our-lives 

Cseh, O., Klier, V., Karsai, I., Nagy, H., & Tornóczky, G. J. (2026). Associations of yoga as a mind-body exercise and its components with spiritual and subjective well-being: Cross-sectional evidence for potential distress prevention. Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 14(1), 13. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports14010013

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2023). Depression and anxiety: Exercise eases symptoms. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise/art-20046495 

McDonough, M. (2023). A walk in the woods may boost mental health. Harvard Medicine. https://magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/walk-woods-may-boost-mental-health 

Keng, S. L., Smoski, M. J., & Robins, C. J. (2011). Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: a review of empirical studies. Clinical Psychology Review, 31(6), 1041–1056. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2011.04.006 

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