Giving Up Sweets for Lent
I’m giving up sweets for Lent and I’m not even Catholic!
You might be wondering why I’m giving up sweets for Lent?
A few years back I noticed that lots of people in New Orleans practiced giving up something during the traditional period of Lent, regardless of their faith. The practice of Lent follows Carnival season (a.k.a. Mardi Gras) and lasts until Easter. It has almost become a cultural practice these days, just as much as it is a religious one.
This is my fourth year using Lent as a reminder to create space for what matters most in my life. It all started in 2013 when I participated in a 40 day yoga program where we practiced yoga and meditation regularly and also gave up all alcohol, caffeine and sugar. Yeap, you read that right – all three – no exceptions!
This year, I wanted to create a customizable program that would allow people to participate online. The yoga tradition uses a 40 day time frame to create consistency with a specific practice and begin to adopt change. Lent also runs along a roughly 40 day time frame and falls at a time of year when people want to reboot their New Year’s Resolutions. Combining these elements seemed like a natural fit. The result is my free 40 Days to Thrive program where I’ll be encouraging you to choose one simple change that will help you thrive. {Sign Up Here}
Personally, I’ve chosen to giving up sweets for Lent because it is currently the most damaging habit that I have.
Since at least Thanksgiving, I’ve developed the habit of eating sweets everyday. I’ve noticed that I’m eating chocolate and candy even when I don’t really want it. It’s become a filler for my work breaks and an automatic craving after dinner.
Naturally, I understand that this isn’t a habit I want to continue longterm for my health. I also understand that I’m using sweets as a filler for something else. I’m not consciously choosing to enjoy them the way I want to. I realize that I need to let go of my attachment to sweets and create space for reflection and awareness of what truly satisfies me and brings me joy.
Why I’m not going cold turkey and eliminating all sugar.
When I went through my first observance of Lent in 2013 eliminating all sugar from my diet truly opened my eyes. I discovered that even the bread I had been buying was full of added sugar. I was grateful for the new perspective I had and it helped me move toward a more unprocessed diet. Not to mention that I found it was much easier (ok, the first week or so was NOT easy) to know in advance that I wasn’t going to be tempted by sugar. I made every effort to eliminate it and it actually made it easier to stick to that commitment than if I had given myself cheat days or loosened the guidelines.
Last year I experimented with not eating dessert. It was ok. I did pretty well, but I found it difficult to resist the dessert menu and to explain to my date that I was going to pass on a bite of his flourless chocolate cake. It seemed too controlled and yet, uncontrolled. After all I didn’t really want to never enjoy dessert again. That wasn’t my aim.
So this year I’m focusing on letting go of my impulsive attachment to sweets and being curious about the experience my mind and body want. I want to see if I can walk a middle ground where I consciously choose sweets only when they are going to add to the joy of my experience. This actually seems like it will be much more difficult for me than going cold turkey. But I also know that the result I want to create is not a total elimination of sugar from my diet, but a more mindful and balanced approach to eating.
I invite you to consider my commitment to giving up sweets for Lent and decide where you fall along the spectrum. Do you want to go cold turkey, adding or eliminating something daily? I actually recommend this approach if you are doing it for the first time. Or do you need to go a layer or two deeper into your psyche and customize a change that you will keep long after 40 Days to Thrive is over?
I can’t wait to explore the process of change with you. Leave a comment below and let me know what you want to change in your life.
Be sure to sign up for 40 Days to Thrive so that I can support you on your journey to create a life where you truly thrive!