Tradition - drag or drive?

{What do you mean by "trig"? I've never heard this word in English. Perhaps it's a translation of "Hemmschuch"? If so, I don't think there's a direct translation for this figurative use of the word, so I've tried to come up with a reasonably close English alternative.}

Traditions are very common in most cultures. There are widely followed traditions (in my country, Germany) like collecting eggs at Easter or giving presents at Christmas. {"general" can't really be used in this context as it sounds more like "vague". "very common" would also be good.} 

But there are also more individual traditions like the specific things you do each day. For me, one of these individual traditions is to listen to music while drinking a bottle of beer each evening when I come home from work. You can't imagine how relaxing that is for me. {I don't know, I like to do it myself!} Sometimes I have to work away from home for several days and can't follow my tradition. You may think I'm crazy, but on those days I've got the strange feeling that there's something missing. {"I have" would also be good.} And it's not only because of a lack of alcohol, at least I hope not ;-)

When I was younger I laughed at people who followed traditions. I thought they were be stuffy. But nowadays, now I'm a bit older (and wiser?), I feel much more comfortable adhering to my traditions and I have a better understanding for people who do the same.

So, to answer my own question: For me, traditions are more a drive than a drag. Sure, sometimes it may be more advisable to give up old paths and be open to new thoughts and ideas, but this gets more and more difficult the older you get...

Please feel invited to tell me a bit of your own traditions and your thoughts about their meaningfulness.

I don't really have any traditions! I keep changing things every few months - maybe I'm still too young. Thanks for writing this - it was interesting to think about this from someone else's viewpoint! Let me know if you have any questions, and if you'd consider correcting my text, I'd be very grateful: http://www.italki.com/entry/548490