Are you giving up (or taking up!) anything for Lent?

[Ali from The Office Diet]

It's a popular time for cutting out some of the indulgencies ... so is anyone giving something up for Lent?

I see it as a time for a sort of extra-long-30-day trial!

In previous years I've given up things (alcohol and online roleplaying games, respectively) though this year I've decided I have no vices left ;-) ... no, instead, I'm "taking up" writing a list of "What was better" about each day, and blogged about this at The Office Diet » What are you taking up for Lent?

What's everyone else doing, if anything, to be fitter/healthier in Lent?

Ali

[Ree]

In our family we always try to focus on the positive, rather than taking the mindset that we are depriving ourselves. Rather than giving something up, we made a commitment to do something helpful and positive. One year we worked in a Saturday soup kitchen. Another year I made the commitment for myself to have daily readings from the Gnostic Gospels. Another year my husband and I went to classes to learn how to man a Red Cross shelter in the event of a natural disaster. (This was shortly after Hurricane Hugo in Charleston.)

Personally I like this way of observing Lent.

[The David]

I'm giving up social anxiety.

[Lisa McGregor]

I think that's fantastic. As a child I was always taught to give up something for lent, so every year I would give up candy, which I would stockpile until Easter Sunday and then get totally sick when I ate it all at once.

I haven't really observed lent for a long time, but the idea that one should rather do something to help others really inspires me.

Love
Lisa

[SHIVKUMAR GUPTA]

i have the one who was studying in 12th standard in year 2001.at age of 19. but didnt appear for the exam . ever since my life has not progressed . today i am depressed person who is going to appear for the exam this year. but tday i cant see a good career also iam 24 single. no love, i am dark in colourn which makes me less attractive. my colleages are earning double of me.today i have a job but cant see any progress because i have wasted time for last 6 years. i want to get a good job with handsome salary. how far can i go. i feel shy about telling my career to anyone . i feel iam coward also because of i cound nt appear for the exam i need good salary today but i have very good experience but . i had given up everything in 2001 because i was coward and thinking of suicide. still i think of suicide everytime.but what is worth it.today i am matured and understand what is life. but i have no career nd day by day i am growingat this age i should have ben graduate but still im not passed 12th. after such aworking exp of 5 years i should earn at least 20k per month what i am earning 1/3 of it plus i cant see any good future progress at this age.
i have read your article quite a some time and realised where i have made the mistake in my life. but today today i was uite touched with hte article level of consciosness.
i feel like from nowonwards i can grow up myself but i am not able to recover the big mistake or mistake which destroed my career. i can earn more with the experience and capability i have in my self and better than any graduate but i cant jump to a better opportunity because i dont have certificates. i am an aggressive guy and i was very good in my academic years. i used to be the scholar guy in my school. i am an honest man who who dont believe i frauds. i had big dreams when i was in college and thought of doing very good in my life till the age of 19. eversince i have dropped my exam my career is not progressed even though i dreamed of everything. i fell like i made the mistake of taking shortcut and which tunned to be long long way to be a independentand successful person. today i am loser without career, love happiness. i am a failure professionaly and personally............pls help the right thing to do one thing i realsed today that u should never loose your patience and have courage to the thing u want to do.

[Keith]

Pretty sure that last post was meant to be a new thread. Can a mod please split it off?

Thanks.

[Lauxa]

I'm doing a 40-day raw vegan trial. As soon as I saw Steve was doing it for January I knew what I wanted to do for Lent this year. I have been wanting to try the raw diet for years now, I have read lots of raw websites, even bought a Vitamix and a raw food cook book (not a dehydrator though). I am not being as restrictive as Steve was though, especially since he claims the results were not noticeably better. But in the last 3 days I have consumed more fruits and vegetables than I usually eat in a week.

[Amandaaa]

hmmmmmmm. well, I don't really like the idea of self-denial anymore...
I spent too much of my life in the 'ascetic mindset,' so I don't really like to force myself to "give up" anything anymore.

but, I'll probably participate in Lent, just because it's another excuse to revamp my diet & exercise habits.

I don't know what I'm gonna do though.... I'll probably give up coffee creamer or something. Maybe I'll weed out the remaining non-vegan items in my kitchen and closet.



We'll see.

[Ali from The Office Diet]

Yes, I think that's the difficulty if your diet's already pretty halo-inducing ;-) Maybe you can add in something..?

Ali

[CStrunk]

I'm using Lent as an excuse to try out veganism (from lacto/ovo-vegetarian) for 40 days. I'm not very religious, but I think it's sort of healthy to give up things once in a while. You appreciate what you have. For now, I'm starting to really appreciate chew chips ahoy.

(Also, going vegan definitely beats all of my friend's goals. :P)

[Marco Polo]

By the way, what date did lent officially start? I completely forgot about this.

[Ree]

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which this year was on February 6. It lasts 40 days.

[Marco Polo]

Originally Posted by Ree

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which this year was on February 6. It lasts 40 days.

Oh well, too late.

I'll just go for a good old fashioned 30-day trial instead.

[Andrew Brunelle]

I am giving up cooked foods for lent. Even though I am not a Christian by nature, but I feel that denying those things that bring you happiness for a short period of time is a worthwhile endeavor for spiritual growth, in the same way fasting is beneficial. Good luck to all the lent'ers out there.