Why I Don't Give Up Anything For Lent

Now that Lent is officially underway I thought I would share my thoughts on the whole “giving something up” idea. Being raised Catholic I’ve always followed this, giving up something that I knew I needed to change, or could do without. Once Lent was up, I would immediately start back up with whatever it is that I gave up. So I started thinking, what exactly is the benefit of giving something up for a short amount of time and then add it right back into your life again? Exactly, there is no benefit.

So rather give something up, add something positive into your life to replace the bad. For example, you want to give up candy, instead add in more healthy “sweets” like fruit or a trail mix to replace the candy. Want to give up swearing? Focus on changing your vocabulary to use positive words. Want to give up alcohol? Focus on drinking more water, or other drinks that can take its place.

My point is that when we start to focus more on things that can benefit our bodies, minds, and lives in general we eventually cut out the bad without even realizing it. It becomes a lifestyle change, and it becomes something that eventually just becomes a new norm. You no longer have a countdown until when you can start back with what you gave up. Instead you’ve added something positive into your life.

This can be applied to any aspect of your life, and doesn’t just need to be for Lent or New Years Resolutions, or anything else. It’s how I try to live my life in general. If I’ve just gotten back from vacation and had a week of bad food, a lot of booze, lack of sleep, etc., instead of focusing on eliminating things from my diet to get back on track, I add in extra water, vegetables, things that will make my body feel better.

It’s the same for my mental health. If I’m stressed or have had a bad day, instead of shutting down and focusing on what I can get done or eliminate, I focus on the things that make me happy, and count my blessings.

I know it’s easy to stress out over the bad shit and let it take over sometimes, and trust me it happens to me too, but once you start looking for things to add into your life rather than focusing on things to take away, you’ll find your life to have more purpose. I’d love to hear your thoughts! Let me know in the comments!