Five Things to Give up for Lent

Lent is the Christian season of 40 days when we are meant to abstain in order to prepare for Easter.  Here are five things to give up for Lent.

1. Criticism. Try to go each day without criticising people.  It is very easy to find fault with our colleagues, partners and children but most people do not like to be criticised and you can easily find a better way to suggest a change.  Try being more open-minded to new and unusual ideas.  Do not criticise them but examine them for their positive possibilities.
2. Complacency.  We can easily slide into a comfortable rut where we do pretty much the same things most days, most months, most years.  Try doing something different every day for a week.  Do not settle for what you have.  Appreciate it but be ambitious (but not greedy) for something different and better.
3. Idleness.  How about we get up a little earlier each day?  Take more exercise and generally be more active.  They say that sitting all day is very bad for us so get up out of that chair!
4. Procrastination.  Stop putting off the important stuff.  Make a list of the top things you have to do each day and do those first – not the easiest!
5. Greed. Lent should be a time of fasting and abstinence.  Let’s try for a simpler, cheaper lifestyle over the next few weeks. Less focus on making money and more on building relationships.  Eat less fatty food, drink less (or no) alcohol.  You know it makes sense.

Good luck with Lent.