What are you giving up for Lent?

[paddyfool]

(Hope this isn't too close to RL-religion...)

Me, I'm giving up webcomics & internet fora. Got to reclaim some free time! See you after Easter, I suppose.

[Castaras]

giving up giving up things for lent.

I do so well with this each year. :smallbiggrin:

[reorith]

I'm giving up nothing. Inb4 lock.

[Jack Squat]

I'm giving up soft drinks. I'm not addicted to them or anything - they're just too convenient sometimes.

As a downside, I see my iced tea consumption increasing sharply starting tomorrow.

EDIT: @ Reorith - IIRC, we had a thread like this last year, and all was well. Much like various holiday threads, so long as we don't discuss the meaning of the season, we should be fine.

[smellie_hippie]

Not actually giving anything up for Lent, since I gave up quite a bit at New years. I have currently allowed myself the Superbowl and The Olympics, and otherwise have maintained my complete year of "no television". lent is just another mile-marker for my current progress.

[Altaria87]

I've given up trying to think of something amusing to give up :smallbiggrin:

[Archonic Energy]

i'm going to give up stabbing Hippies...
*Stabbity Smellie_Hippie*
well it's not started yet...
*stab again*
:smallbiggrin:

[Fifty-Eyed Fred]

Eating children. I know, I know, it will be difficult since children are so delightfully delectable, but I am positive that my vigilancy shall be my food of love until Eastertide.

[ghost_warlock]

Self-denial.

[jlvm4]

I'm not sure what I'm giving up yet. I'm wondering, since the premise is sacrifice, whether instead of giving up something, doing something to change a negative about myself would work as well.

For example, if you normally are sharp with or yell people whether making an effort to control that negative behavior and change for the better would count as much as 'giving up chocolate' or something like that.

Might make Lent a whole new world for my kids, where instead of giving up something like thumb-sucking they were to say 'listen when mom tells me the first time' or 'be nice to my brothers and sisters'.

One can dream I suppose. I've got one more day to decide at any rate.

[Jack Squat]

I've always known it that you can take on a challenge as well. I know several people that try to attempt and reboot their workout resolution from New Years during Lent.

It goes about as well, but that's besides the point.

[BisectedBrioche]

I'm giving up Lent. I wonder if I've succeeded or failed by default...

[Thufir]

I'm not sure what I'm giving up yet. I'm wondering, since the premise is sacrifice, whether instead of giving up something, doing something to change a negative about myself would work as well.

For example, if you normally are sharp with or yell people whether making an effort to control that negative behavior and change for the better would count as much as 'giving up chocolate' or something like that.

A friend of mine gave up swearing for Lent once, which is kind of this type of thing.

[Maltore]

I'm not sure what I'm giving up yet. I'm wondering, since the premise is sacrifice, whether instead of giving up something, doing something to change a negative about myself would work as well.

Yes it does. Check out this website (http://www.livelent.net/about.html) about a UK initiative that promotes just that: doing something positive every day instead of giving something up. Sadly, the booklet with suggestions needs to be ordered, so if you live on a different continent, you might have to come up with ideas yourself. We were given some examples last Sunday: one day, take your empty glass jars/bottles to a recycling centre. Another day, go through your wardrobe and donate things you no longer wear to charity. Yet another day, donate one tenth of your last grocery bill to an organisation that feeds the poor.

Some personal suggestions for those who want inspiration: play this game (http://www.freerice.com/index.php) for a set amount of time each day, or until you've reached a certain amount of rice. If you like the traditional idea of giving something up: go vegetarian! It will force you to be more conscious about your eating habits.

My husband and I got it into our heads last September to try out the rules for Ramadan this year. Experience another culture, breed more understanding... Practically, we'll be setting our alarm at 5 am, have breakfast before the children wake up, and forget about eating or drinking until they're back in bed. It seems very fitting what with the word for "Lent" in our language being derived from our verb for fasting.

[Tirian]

I'm not sure what I'm giving up yet. I'm wondering, since the premise is sacrifice, whether instead of giving up something, doing something to change a negative about myself would work as well.

I believe that the premise is challenge. Do something that you couldn't do any other seven weeks of the year, and rely on the extra devotion and the magic of the season to give you the strength to endure. And I also think that one shouldn't automatically expect to return to one's pre-Lenten self after Easter. If you give up chocolate every year, then you might be missing the point.

I think that starting a challenging exercise regimen is an excellent idea. I think I'll do that myself.

[valadil]

Nada. It's not part of my religion and even if it were I wouldn't bother.

[paddyfool]

It's not part of mine, either - just strikes me as a good and useful opportunity to get myself out of a rut.

[Starfols]

I'm going to give up being self-absorbed. HA HA! Fat chance! :smalltongue:

I don't have many small bad habits, and I don't think I have the willpower to try and fix it just on account of the month. If I could give up wishy-washyness, I'd do that.

[OverdrivePrime]

I'm giving up slacking on my work outs.

[V for Victory]

giving up giving up things for lent.

I do so well with this each year. :smallbiggrin:

Actually isn't that failing since you have in fact given something up for lent

[Icewalker]

giving up giving up things for lent.

Beat me to it by a MILE.

[Kobold-Bard]

I don't know. I normally don't bother but I think I might this year. Maybe alcohol, or perhaps meat NO!! I didn't mean that one, I meant cakes NOOO!!! Eggs, I meant eggs.

Or maybe just alcohol.

[Athaniar]

Didn't even know you were supposed to give up anything. So no, I'm not doing it. I don't make New Year resolutions, either. If I want to change anything about my life, I just do it.

[Kobold-Bard]

Didn't even know you were supposed to give up anything. So no, I'm not doing it. I don't make New Year resolutions, either. If I want to change anything about my life, I just do it.

Technically you can do something extra instead of giving something up.

[Roland St. Jude]

Sheriff of Moddignham: Lent is a religious observance. As far as I know, there is no non-religious observance of Lent. Unlike Christmas, where we could confine discussion to a present-wielding, jolly, fat man, or Easter, where we could focus on chocolate and eggs, there isn't really a non-religious observance of Lent.