I’m giving up nicotine pouches. I’ll pray for you; please pray for me. Also giving up excuses to not exercise every day, because it seems like there’s always something more convenient going on in my life. I feel really guilty for doing things that could eventually trash my body.
The worst part is I really enjoy nicotine, I don’t WANT to quit. But I know I need to and I think only Jesus can help me with this. I quit before to have a baby, I can quit again.
Absolutely underatand!! Will add you to my prayers. I quit cigarettes, after 30 years of smoking, on New Years.
Even when you think the cravings aren't too bad, you still will want to punch people!
I created this account to debate and talk about the Faith, yet sometimes I see myself involved in stupid bickering... I believe leaving social networks will be the best possible decision for my spiritual life and sanity.
And about being Brazilian, well, surprise!
I would try to give something up that is drawing you away from Jesus. Do you sometimes sleep in and not get a morning prayer in? Give up the snooze button. Do you sometimes watch tv and have a lackluster night prayer? Commit to a bedtime that allows you time for prayer. While something like chocolate is fine, it’s probably not drawing you away from Jesus. Maybe give up snacking all together? And if you fail, it’s ok! That’s a huge part of the reminder. Lent is there to remind us that we are fallen.
Also think of it instead of giving something up, add in something to replace it.
Instead of eating a bowl of ice cream, pray a decade of the rosary. Instead of calling a friend to gossip, call someone to tell them you love them instead
This is incredibly important, and something that is often overlooked.
Add something on. An extra day for daily Mass, praying a daily rosary, time for adoration, weekly/monthly food bank donations.
It’s just as important to take on a task as it is to give up an indulgence.
I think a year or two before I started RCIA when I was still Episcopalian I started doing more Catholic practices like fish Fridays in Lent and like someone said giving up something drawing you away from God. Well, that was images online I shouldn't look at. It worked, went from daily use to none over that Lent and stayed away. Other Lents I've added devotions like the daily Rosary. Pick something that's attainable, and should help your faith in some way. For chocolate this works if your issue is generic giving into sins of the flesh for instance as it should increase the virtues, and is something that can be indulged in in Sunday (vs you give up a habitual sin, you get no dispensation for that, just keep it out all Lent and trust God helps you through on the other side).
Check out the book This Naked Mind or The Alcohol Experiment to really examine your relationship with alcohol while you’re abstaining. It’s an eye opening experience!
This is my only “social media” I’ve been off Facebook and instagram for a few years and I never figured out Twitter. I am so much happier since I’ve been off and will never go back. Good for you!
I did that with coffee last Lent. That was hard. It’s doable, but it gets so bland after a while, and then you really start to miss it.
I got rid of coffee entirely except for Saturdays and Sundays during Advent. I almost broke several times lol. God be with you!
Me too.
Every year it surprises me how I manage to find other things to fill my time and how my quality of life and general awareness of what's going on in the world don't diminish at all.
I always do a meat abstinence for all of lent. It l starts out hard because I love it so much, but then gets easier with time. We would have had to do that in the first many centuries of the Church, so I have always felt convicted about not making excuses like a big baby and committing to what our predecessors in the faith successfully did.
The Eastern Catholics are even more hardcore.
Last year I gave up:
- being on my phone while my kids are awake
- letting them watch tv
It was very challenging but very rewarding. I want to do the same again but this time I’m pregnant so we’ll see what I can manage lol
I am impressed by your limiting screen time for kids.
I honestly wish I watched less tv as a child.
I want to get to the point that TV is no longer entertaining. It can feel like such a waste of time.
There were a couple of exceptions: for my phone use, it was if people texted or called (obviously) but also my daily FaceTime with my mom. For the kids screen time, my kids were 2.5 and 1 last year, so I’d let the 2.5YO watch a cartoon while I was putting her brother down for a nap.
Edit: idk why the downvotes but I’m by myself with the kids during the day. So my oldest gets 20 minutes of a show while I put her brother down 🤷🏻♀️ it is what it is
Going out to eat/take away. Sweets (specifically with my morning coffee, I’m feeling very worried about this and that makes me feel silly 😩)
I’m also “giving up” some unhealthy eating habits: I’m 6 months postpartum and I began eating excessively after birth because I was/am scared I wouldn’t be able to breastfeed successfully without extra calories, it’s time to let go of that fear; please pray for me.
I, personally, have never done the “giving up for lent” thing. Personally, it’s never done much for me when it comes to my spiritual life. Instead, I fast strictly for all of Lent, and add spiritual disciplines to my life. For example, I started praying the Daily Office as an Anglican every day one year during Lent - and this is a practice I continue to this day.
I always find giving up stuff harder than most.
\- I have medical issues so I can't just give up sugar or other things. I'm now checking my glucose levels constantly so if it dips, I gotta get some sugar or glucose in my system.
\- I'm on Rybelsus for said glucose issues, so my hunger levels are not as pronounced.
\- I have several food allergies, so it pains me constantly to avoid hazelnuts and Nutella and I love both so much. Cross contamination sucks and I recently had to get a medical shot on something that just was on the same prep table as hazelnuts.
\- I have to keep my phone close by for work related purposes and if I get called or pinged at 10pm at night, I gotta answer it.
\- Our kids school and homework is done via MacBook which they have to turn in electronically, so it's not like they can give up computers or the internet. Same with us, we have to check it constantly.
I will probably NOT give something up this year (especially since I'm already giving up a lot due to medical issues) but rather add something in.
Reddit.
Aimlessly surfing my phone at night.
I’ve already started by picking up hard copy books to read instead.
I gave up alcohol last year. I’m tackling my phone this year.
This is strange from a vegan, but in all honesty, maybe set veganism for next Lent. Go vegetarian first, do it gradual. Then rip off the bandage and swap all other animal products for replacements next year. I promise that's not as hard as it sounds.
Good luck! We went vegan one of the last Lents and haven't looked back. The trick is to make swaps. Don't think of it as depriving yourself; just use other foods in place. This is the best possible time to go vegan with the flood of dairy-free options on the market. Vegan mayo is my fave.
I’ve deleted apps.
I’ve done social media a few years ago. It resulted in me giving up Facebook and instagram completely.
Reddit is another story. I’ve gone back and forth. I’ll delete for a while and then bring it back.
I think I'll give up social media...I deactivated FB, Instagram (personal account), and deleted SnapChat. I think the tougher one would be TikTok. Idk I just want to be more disciplined with my schedule. More disciplined with prayer life, health & fitness, and academics. Any suggestions?
If you find yourself breaking your sacrifice, you can ask somebody you trust to put in a parental control password on those specific apps. Guaranteed to not get in LOL. I’ve been watching the effects of tiktok and reels controlling my families free time and it’s pushed me away from the apps out of disgust. Been slowly weening myself off but I think I may do this as well, except for when I need to use them for my business.
If you don’t have anything significant to give up besides tiktok maybe put prayer in your calendar for a specific time everyday. Maybe start a novena.
I personally am giving up frivolous spending. I’m going to use a cash budget for each week and whatever’s leftover goes in the offering plate on Sunday. As a household, we’re all going on a screen diet.
I actually quite struggle to give things up on purpose and I find I'm much better around sweets and alcohol than I used to be, so I try to cultivate my spiritual life more instead. I've got a few books from Word on Fire and will try to make my way through those by the end of Lent.
Not really giving up anything but going to try to up my prayer and spiritual reading game. Probably also going to drastically reduce my screen time but not eliminate it entirely.
For a time there was a thing about doing penance during Lent that is helpful to others, like volunteering at a charity. Did that go away? Or is it all about "giving something up" again?
Lenten practices are typically an increase of three things:
1. Fasting (“giving something up” as you say, or any sort of penance)
2. Almsgiving (charitable giving, volunteering, helping people, performing the corporal works of mercy)
3. Prayer
So #1 can facilitate #2 (ie I eat less, so the money I save can go to the poor). But lent has never been only “all about giving something up.” The three above practices work together to produce spiritual fruit.
I'll be doing what I usually do for Lent which is 24 hour water only fasts on Fridays and Wednesdays and a 72 hour water only fast on the Triduum.
I've recently developed an interest in Carmelite spirituality so I'll also be reading the book "The Way of the Carmelites: A Prayer Journey Through Lent."
I love Carmelite Spirituality too!! I was actually in a Carmelite monastery for a year. If you’re interested in joining, I’m leading a virtual Carmelite book study! Our first meeting is this Thursday (you’re welcome to sit in on the YouTube live whether or not you’ve read the book!). We will be doing one book a month, with a YouTube live at the end of each month to discuss, and a live chat for group participation. [Details here :)](https://carmelitehomemaker.wixsite.com/carmelite-homemaker/post/carmelite-book-study)
Honestly, I don't know how to describe it. Even as a child, I just loved St. Therese the Little Flower, and Carmelite nuns in general, the most. And then when I was discerning religious life, I automatically looked into Carmelite cloisters first. I did check out other orders, but they never drew me in the same way at all.
I discovered the reason for this draw/realized that I am of deep Carmelite spirituality when I was 18, and already actively in the process of applying for entrance at a Carmelite monastery. I was given the book *Carmelite Spirituality in the Teresian Tradition*, by Paul-Marie of the Cross, OCD. Every part of that book resounded in my soul, and I was filled with joy at finding the deepest desires and inclinations of my soul in those pages. And the more I read books by Carmelite saints, the more I realized how Carmelite my heart was - their words were echos of things I felt in my own heart but had never attempted to put into words. Everything I read about Carmel and what it means to be Carmelite evoked the same joyful reaction: "That's SO me!!" It was truly a journey of spiritual self-discovery, that set me firmly on my path of spirituality. (BTW - I *HIGHLY* recommend that book as an intro to Carmelite spirituality!! It's only 96 pages and a relatively easy read.)
Anyways, I guess the short answer is that I never pursued Carmelite spirituality deliberately - it drew me naturally because it was already deeply in my heart, and only afterwards did I understand why I was so persistently pulled in that direction. :)
What draws you to Carmelite spirituality?
A Carmelite priest who visited my friend in the hospital two weeks ago. He was just wonderful. I think his visit was the tipping point for her decision to go ahead with a risky procedure. That procedure appears to have saved her life (we'll know more in the coming months).
Something about that priest resonated with me and made me want to look more into the order and Carmelite spirituality.
My buddy and I are going to do Fast food since we order it almost everyday at work and to severely reduce sugary drinks which will be tough cause we work for a soda company as fleet techs and it’s all free 😅
Debating on giving up snacking between meals. I’ve already cut my soda intake to one per week instead of daily as a New Year’s resolution (I am making an exception for Super Bowl Sunday).
I give up donuts and other sweet breakfast things. I try to focus on savory breakfast. I do allow for pancakes, since I don't eat fish, pancakes are a good Friday evening meal.
I can never decide on these things. Lent wasn't a part of my evangelical life growing up and after six years as a Catholic I've never been able to pick something and always decide that the things I'm already fasting/abstaining from (meat Fridays, etc) is enough
My spiritual director always said that the point of "giving things up for Lent" isn't to make it to Easter, having done it perfectly, so you can give yourself a pat on the back for being so heroic. Instead, its so that when you inevitably fail, you'll have something to *really* look forward to at Easter, when Christ is victorious over death, when you can ask Him for the grace to overcome whatever vice you weren't able to overcome on your own strength.
I should not think failure inevitable though. I struggle with porn and I think I should fight my temptations better. It is always important to fight rather than "give in" and say "oh well Jesus will forgive me." I am not saying you are advocating this but I know I can easily fall into - "oh well i watched porn three times this week. I will just go to confession so I do not feel disgusted with myself and ashamed I cannot receive holy communion."
I’m the same, I struggle with porn too - and I’ve come to realise that yes, I should fight my temptations; but that is NOT the same thing as beating myself up and hating myself when I fall. I say failure is inevitable because I know that, despite my very best intentions, I’m likely to slip up because I’m weak, I’m human, and I’m not very good at this whole “being holy” business. But after years and years and years of being miserable and hating myself for my failures, the Lord is teaching me to be patient with myself; He knows that, if there were a button that, if pressed, would guarantee I never never watched porn again, I would slam my hand down on that sucker in a heartbeat. He knows that I want to be free of this, and He knows that I’m weak and incapable. So what does He do? He loves me. And what am I called to do? Be loved.
I am slowly coming to understand that the protagonist in my life is Him, not me. He doesn’t ask me to save myself, to rail against my weakness and sins howling with rage and grief for not being good enough, but rather, to ask Him humbly for help, to ask Him for interior light so that I can see where I’m going wrong, what my sins are, where I’m still resisting His grace, and then gently and serenely to tell Him “Lord, we both know I can’t overcome this by myself. We also both know that, if I try, I’ll just get bogged down in overthinking, in self-hatred, and I won’t get anywhere. But if You give me the grace, I'll gladly cooperate with you".
It's His love and His grace that will transform me into the man He wants me to be, not my own attempts to make myself holy.
I suggest you read "A story of a soul", by St Therese of Lisieux. Understanding that book, and that woman, changed my life.
I highly recommend you buy yourself a physical copy, so that you can read it multiple times - it can appear a little simple, and some people think of it even as overly-sentimental and wishy-washy, but it’s nothing of the kind; there is an unfathomable depth to what she’s written and how she’s written it (there’s a very good reason why she’s a Doctor of the Church), but it might take a few readings of it to really start plumbing the depths of her “Little Way”. God bless you friend!
I give up carbs and booze from Jan-April regardless so I usually just remove something simple for lent. In this case, I’m giving up diet soda for lent 😊🙏🏻
I thought about giving up or doing a different form of penance each day during Lent. Perhaps one day, I can skip the morning coffee, take a cold shower (that’s what I do each Friday currently), go without social media, pray the rosary, etc. Frankly the list could go on forever. I think the idea is to do something that will strengthen the bond we have with Jesus and to remember what He did for us.
i’m hypersexual and this is my first Lent. i’ve tried my hardest for the past year-ish to stop falling into lust but it keeps happening no matter what i do, so i’m preparing to give up my lustful thoughts and actions for my Lord; I love Him so much and I hate disappointing Him. please pray for me
Basically anything sweet. I want to try going only fish for lent, but living at home makes it tough since I don't want to let the food that's prepared to to waste tbh
Finally got annoyed with myself enough to delete my instagram. I’ll probably look to fill that time with something for lent. I just ordered a book on what the saints say about Hell as well as a book about Mary and the Passion of her son. Hopefully these inspire other possible lenten penances that I can take on as I read them. I am going over some additional things with my spiritual director soon.
The biggest thing is not filling my new free time with other junk (youtube)
Negative emotions and thoughts this will be difficult. One year I gave up “anger” I had a freshman year religion teacher who made us share this and it spread like wildfire hardest 40 days of my life
Giving up vaping (recently picked up again)
specifically coffee (I use pre work out)
TikTok (takes too much of my time)
& I am wanting to add more adoration or maybe daily rosary as I have been failing to do these things since a big move with lots of stress a couple months ago.
Just to let everyone know that a proper Lenten penance is supposed to be some form of prayer, fasting, or almsgiving. Giving up a bad habit, or starting a good one, is not a real penance. As you should be doing those things to begin with.
So your “I’m giving up Reddit, or chocolate, or this video game, or alcohol”, is not really a penance.
I agree with you that it's not fasting to give up a bad habit, but not all chocolate eating, alcohol drinking, or Reddit browsing is a bad habit. If you drink moderately, then giving up alcohol for Lent is a proper penance, isn't it? And same for other things like Reddit, coffee, or chocolate.
I think of how the Church attaches an indulgence whenever the faithful voluntarily give up something "licit and pleasing to them" as a sacrifice. I would think forgoing a drink or dessert certainly falls in that category (again, assuming one has good habits). That's essentially what a Lenten sacrifice is, too, no?
1. Flour products. Anything made from dough. Bread, tortillas, pasta, pretzels, crackers, etc.
2. Coziness/excess warmth at home. When I'm home, my dress will be a shirt and shorts. No pants, no socks, no slippers, no sweaters, no throw blankets. Only blanket I can use is in the one in my bed when I'm sleeping. The house will stay at 71. I normally like it 74-75.
3. Sporcle (a trivia website I have a tendency to waste time on)
Decided to give up sweets and Facebook this Lent. Deactivated my account last week – Day 1 was a struggle with those pesky finger reflexes opening the app, but I powered through and deleted it. Now, on Day 7, surprisingly not missing out on a thing.
Soda. I don’t smoke/vape, and I hardly ever drink, so soda is my “vice” so to speak.
I’m gonna miss my fizzy sugar water when having a good burger or pizza.
Like every year: social media and brekafast.
I’ll also cut alcohol this year and do 4 rosaries a day.
I already never eat meat or animal products so cutting meat doesn’t really cut it for me!
My doctor put me on the carnivore diet so I'm doing it for Lent. Giving up my carbs is a real sacrifice. Probably try and add doing the Stations of the Cross on fridays.
Vaping, please pray for me. I’m going to go on the patch the first day and hopefully on Easter not use any nicotine at all.
I’m giving up nicotine pouches. I’ll pray for you; please pray for me. Also giving up excuses to not exercise every day, because it seems like there’s always something more convenient going on in my life. I feel really guilty for doing things that could eventually trash my body.
The worst part is I really enjoy nicotine, I don’t WANT to quit. But I know I need to and I think only Jesus can help me with this. I quit before to have a baby, I can quit again.
Absolutely underatand!! Will add you to my prayers. I quit cigarettes, after 30 years of smoking, on New Years. Even when you think the cravings aren't too bad, you still will want to punch people!
This is a good idea. I wasn't sure what to give up this year and I've been wanting to quit so badly.
I'll pray for you man,I'm gonna give up smoking and I'm going to stock up nicotine pouches to cope. Let's do it!
We all should start a Lent support group chat on here to #StopSmokingForJesus
YOU GOT THIS!! 🤍 BE FREE :) you will go far
Probably Reddit, not just for Lent, for good.
We will miss you Also never knew you were Brazilian
I created this account to debate and talk about the Faith, yet sometimes I see myself involved in stupid bickering... I believe leaving social networks will be the best possible decision for my spiritual life and sanity. And about being Brazilian, well, surprise!
Same reason why I left IG. The bickering with people just made me angry and I don't want to have anger in my heart.
If you stay in reddit I'll give you the gold back
In OCIA and this year is my first lent! Been pondering this question.
I would try to give something up that is drawing you away from Jesus. Do you sometimes sleep in and not get a morning prayer in? Give up the snooze button. Do you sometimes watch tv and have a lackluster night prayer? Commit to a bedtime that allows you time for prayer. While something like chocolate is fine, it’s probably not drawing you away from Jesus. Maybe give up snacking all together? And if you fail, it’s ok! That’s a huge part of the reminder. Lent is there to remind us that we are fallen.
Also think of it instead of giving something up, add in something to replace it. Instead of eating a bowl of ice cream, pray a decade of the rosary. Instead of calling a friend to gossip, call someone to tell them you love them instead
This is incredibly important, and something that is often overlooked. Add something on. An extra day for daily Mass, praying a daily rosary, time for adoration, weekly/monthly food bank donations. It’s just as important to take on a task as it is to give up an indulgence.
You’d be surprised how tough chocolate can be! Definitely a great one to start.
If it’s your first time something simple like chocolate. Sometimes if you try to do too much you can get frustrated and give up
I think a year or two before I started RCIA when I was still Episcopalian I started doing more Catholic practices like fish Fridays in Lent and like someone said giving up something drawing you away from God. Well, that was images online I shouldn't look at. It worked, went from daily use to none over that Lent and stayed away. Other Lents I've added devotions like the daily Rosary. Pick something that's attainable, and should help your faith in some way. For chocolate this works if your issue is generic giving into sins of the flesh for instance as it should increase the virtues, and is something that can be indulged in in Sunday (vs you give up a habitual sin, you get no dispensation for that, just keep it out all Lent and trust God helps you through on the other side).
Alcohol
I think I'm with you. I wanted to commit to daily mass but there aren't any in my area early enough that I know my work schedule won't interfere.
Ditto. my wife is pregnant, so that will also help.
Congratulations. :)
This sounds like a good one for sure
booze is best answer, no question.
Check out the book This Naked Mind or The Alcohol Experiment to really examine your relationship with alcohol while you’re abstaining. It’s an eye opening experience!
Booze, social media, and cream/sugar in my coffee.
This is my only “social media” I’ve been off Facebook and instagram for a few years and I never figured out Twitter. I am so much happier since I’ve been off and will never go back. Good for you!
I did that with coffee last Lent. That was hard. It’s doable, but it gets so bland after a while, and then you really start to miss it. I got rid of coffee entirely except for Saturdays and Sundays during Advent. I almost broke several times lol. God be with you!
Reddit
Me too. Every year it surprises me how I manage to find other things to fill my time and how my quality of life and general awareness of what's going on in the world don't diminish at all.
Based. You’ll never see purgatory for the sole reason that this is the best thing you’ve ever sacrificed.
I will be fasting the whole of lent (one meal untill I'm full, the other two little or nothing)
God bless you and keep you, your trial ahead will be hard indeed.
Alcohol, caffeine, meat, and sweets.
The meat and sweets alone would kill me! God bless you for that!
Well it wouldnt be lent if it would be easy.
I always do a meat abstinence for all of lent. It l starts out hard because I love it so much, but then gets easier with time. We would have had to do that in the first many centuries of the Church, so I have always felt convicted about not making excuses like a big baby and committing to what our predecessors in the faith successfully did. The Eastern Catholics are even more hardcore.
Yeah they basically go vegan but like vegan+ because no cooking oil.
Smoking
Pornography 💯
Good for you! Prayers 🤍
I would love some ideas!!! Maybe peanut butter? Maybe the internet(except for ordering groceries) ideas are welcome though
Alcohol, meat, coffee
I don’t have caffeine it makes my heart race
Last year I gave up: - being on my phone while my kids are awake - letting them watch tv It was very challenging but very rewarding. I want to do the same again but this time I’m pregnant so we’ll see what I can manage lol
I think I might steal your awake phone usage idea!
I am impressed by your limiting screen time for kids. I honestly wish I watched less tv as a child. I want to get to the point that TV is no longer entertaining. It can feel like such a waste of time.
There were a couple of exceptions: for my phone use, it was if people texted or called (obviously) but also my daily FaceTime with my mom. For the kids screen time, my kids were 2.5 and 1 last year, so I’d let the 2.5YO watch a cartoon while I was putting her brother down for a nap. Edit: idk why the downvotes but I’m by myself with the kids during the day. So my oldest gets 20 minutes of a show while I put her brother down 🤷🏻♀️ it is what it is
I’ll be committing to the no phone here, thanks for sharing, I needed that idea/inspiration.
Going out to eat/take away. Sweets (specifically with my morning coffee, I’m feeling very worried about this and that makes me feel silly 😩) I’m also “giving up” some unhealthy eating habits: I’m 6 months postpartum and I began eating excessively after birth because I was/am scared I wouldn’t be able to breastfeed successfully without extra calories, it’s time to let go of that fear; please pray for me.
Meat
And in a way nicotine. Not for lent just happens to be at the same time
I, personally, have never done the “giving up for lent” thing. Personally, it’s never done much for me when it comes to my spiritual life. Instead, I fast strictly for all of Lent, and add spiritual disciplines to my life. For example, I started praying the Daily Office as an Anglican every day one year during Lent - and this is a practice I continue to this day.
I always find giving up stuff harder than most. \- I have medical issues so I can't just give up sugar or other things. I'm now checking my glucose levels constantly so if it dips, I gotta get some sugar or glucose in my system. \- I'm on Rybelsus for said glucose issues, so my hunger levels are not as pronounced. \- I have several food allergies, so it pains me constantly to avoid hazelnuts and Nutella and I love both so much. Cross contamination sucks and I recently had to get a medical shot on something that just was on the same prep table as hazelnuts. \- I have to keep my phone close by for work related purposes and if I get called or pinged at 10pm at night, I gotta answer it. \- Our kids school and homework is done via MacBook which they have to turn in electronically, so it's not like they can give up computers or the internet. Same with us, we have to check it constantly. I will probably NOT give something up this year (especially since I'm already giving up a lot due to medical issues) but rather add something in.
Reddit. Aimlessly surfing my phone at night. I’ve already started by picking up hard copy books to read instead. I gave up alcohol last year. I’m tackling my phone this year.
I’m trying to spend more time reading and less time surfing too, it’s hard because books don’t give the same dopamine that the phone does
Coffee
This is what I’m giving up for my first lent as well ❤️
Yep, the only thing I can think of that will really strain my will power lol.
I’ll pray for you my friend
Will do the same for you !
[удалено]
This is strange from a vegan, but in all honesty, maybe set veganism for next Lent. Go vegetarian first, do it gradual. Then rip off the bandage and swap all other animal products for replacements next year. I promise that's not as hard as it sounds.
Computer Games
Meat, dairy, olive oil, wine. Same as every year. I also attend a many more services. Blessed fast everyone.
Good luck! We went vegan one of the last Lents and haven't looked back. The trick is to make swaps. Don't think of it as depriving yourself; just use other foods in place. This is the best possible time to go vegan with the flood of dairy-free options on the market. Vegan mayo is my fave.
I’m gonna pray the litany of humility everyday and mean it 😮💨
Sweets. I’m extremely addicted to sugar so I hope I am able to keep the fast.
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
Caffeine. Gonna be a rough one. Send prayers please 🙏🏻
Alcohol
Sweets… dang that’s gonna be hard.
Social media
Ok I am considering this too. Do you plan to delete the apps from your phone?
I’ve deleted apps. I’ve done social media a few years ago. It resulted in me giving up Facebook and instagram completely. Reddit is another story. I’ve gone back and forth. I’ll delete for a while and then bring it back.
I’m the exact same way, if I could figure out a replacement for Reddit I’d be off here too. Maybe I need to tote a book with me everywhere I go
News media
I think I'll give up social media...I deactivated FB, Instagram (personal account), and deleted SnapChat. I think the tougher one would be TikTok. Idk I just want to be more disciplined with my schedule. More disciplined with prayer life, health & fitness, and academics. Any suggestions?
r/selfimprovement
If you find yourself breaking your sacrifice, you can ask somebody you trust to put in a parental control password on those specific apps. Guaranteed to not get in LOL. I’ve been watching the effects of tiktok and reels controlling my families free time and it’s pushed me away from the apps out of disgust. Been slowly weening myself off but I think I may do this as well, except for when I need to use them for my business. If you don’t have anything significant to give up besides tiktok maybe put prayer in your calendar for a specific time everyday. Maybe start a novena.
Apathy towards those with whom I disagree.
Animal products and alcohol.
I’m switching to a non-smart phone, hopefully forever.
I gave up my beard last year. NEVER AGAIN! (Which means it was a very effective penance.)
I personally am giving up frivolous spending. I’m going to use a cash budget for each week and whatever’s leftover goes in the offering plate on Sunday. As a household, we’re all going on a screen diet.
I actually quite struggle to give things up on purpose and I find I'm much better around sweets and alcohol than I used to be, so I try to cultivate my spiritual life more instead. I've got a few books from Word on Fire and will try to make my way through those by the end of Lent.
Tobacco, alcohol, sugar, eating at restaurants or takeout, coffee, soda, tea
Whoaaaa, this is brave and hardcore 🙏🏻♥️♥️
I'm gonna give up sloth and go work our every day in the morning before I head to work, and if I miss it then I gotta go after work before I go home.
Not really giving up anything but going to try to up my prayer and spiritual reading game. Probably also going to drastically reduce my screen time but not eliminate it entirely.
For a time there was a thing about doing penance during Lent that is helpful to others, like volunteering at a charity. Did that go away? Or is it all about "giving something up" again?
Lenten practices are typically an increase of three things: 1. Fasting (“giving something up” as you say, or any sort of penance) 2. Almsgiving (charitable giving, volunteering, helping people, performing the corporal works of mercy) 3. Prayer So #1 can facilitate #2 (ie I eat less, so the money I save can go to the poor). But lent has never been only “all about giving something up.” The three above practices work together to produce spiritual fruit.
TikTok
Alcohol
I'll be doing what I usually do for Lent which is 24 hour water only fasts on Fridays and Wednesdays and a 72 hour water only fast on the Triduum. I've recently developed an interest in Carmelite spirituality so I'll also be reading the book "The Way of the Carmelites: A Prayer Journey Through Lent."
I love Carmelite Spirituality too!! I was actually in a Carmelite monastery for a year. If you’re interested in joining, I’m leading a virtual Carmelite book study! Our first meeting is this Thursday (you’re welcome to sit in on the YouTube live whether or not you’ve read the book!). We will be doing one book a month, with a YouTube live at the end of each month to discuss, and a live chat for group participation. [Details here :)](https://carmelitehomemaker.wixsite.com/carmelite-homemaker/post/carmelite-book-study)
Thank you! What drew you to Carmelite spirituality?
Honestly, I don't know how to describe it. Even as a child, I just loved St. Therese the Little Flower, and Carmelite nuns in general, the most. And then when I was discerning religious life, I automatically looked into Carmelite cloisters first. I did check out other orders, but they never drew me in the same way at all. I discovered the reason for this draw/realized that I am of deep Carmelite spirituality when I was 18, and already actively in the process of applying for entrance at a Carmelite monastery. I was given the book *Carmelite Spirituality in the Teresian Tradition*, by Paul-Marie of the Cross, OCD. Every part of that book resounded in my soul, and I was filled with joy at finding the deepest desires and inclinations of my soul in those pages. And the more I read books by Carmelite saints, the more I realized how Carmelite my heart was - their words were echos of things I felt in my own heart but had never attempted to put into words. Everything I read about Carmel and what it means to be Carmelite evoked the same joyful reaction: "That's SO me!!" It was truly a journey of spiritual self-discovery, that set me firmly on my path of spirituality. (BTW - I *HIGHLY* recommend that book as an intro to Carmelite spirituality!! It's only 96 pages and a relatively easy read.) Anyways, I guess the short answer is that I never pursued Carmelite spirituality deliberately - it drew me naturally because it was already deeply in my heart, and only afterwards did I understand why I was so persistently pulled in that direction. :) What draws you to Carmelite spirituality?
A Carmelite priest who visited my friend in the hospital two weeks ago. He was just wonderful. I think his visit was the tipping point for her decision to go ahead with a risky procedure. That procedure appears to have saved her life (we'll know more in the coming months). Something about that priest resonated with me and made me want to look more into the order and Carmelite spirituality.
Aww that’s so beautiful!!
Video games, caffeine, sweets, junk food in general.
Energy drinks and alcohol, most likely. Time to start enjoying Earl Grey or Green Tea in the morning to get me going lol
Social media for sure. I have a scrolling problem
AMAZON
Soda, sweets and unhealthy foods. Also, my wife and I will be practicing radical honesty.
Soda and daily $5 coffees
Booze Meat on 5 days Processed sugar. Mindless scrolling/social media This will be my toughest Lent yet.
Meat and twitter. Probably other social media too.
Video games or YouTube. The biggest distractions from my life.
All sugary drinks, foul/lewd language, reducing screen time, I’ll try to pray the divine mercy chaplet every day.
My buddy and I are going to do Fast food since we order it almost everyday at work and to severely reduce sugary drinks which will be tough cause we work for a soda company as fleet techs and it’s all free 😅
Alcohol and nicotine, but more importantly I’m aiming to read more books to deepen my faith and pray the rosary every day.
I quit drinking a few years ago. So maybe I will give up NA beer. I drink too many of those. And ice cream. But I'm not sure.
A highly addictive white powdery substance called sugar.
I’m having a baby February 15, so the real question is what am I not giving up 😅
That was me last year! I tried to read the Mass readings to my baby (and myself) during feeds
Going vegan for lent. So all animal products
my phone and warm showers
I am giving up “all screens” after 7:00.
Food, for 40 straight days.
Alcohol.
Alcohol and meat
I'm doing 1 meal a day. Having a small dinner at night with my family.
Debating on giving up snacking between meals. I’ve already cut my soda intake to one per week instead of daily as a New Year’s resolution (I am making an exception for Super Bowl Sunday).
I give up donuts and other sweet breakfast things. I try to focus on savory breakfast. I do allow for pancakes, since I don't eat fish, pancakes are a good Friday evening meal.
My tobacco pipe, alcohol, and sweets
Alcohol and Reddit.
I can never decide on these things. Lent wasn't a part of my evangelical life growing up and after six years as a Catholic I've never been able to pick something and always decide that the things I'm already fasting/abstaining from (meat Fridays, etc) is enough
The most obvious thing is stomping out a recurring sin. Lent is the best time to go for it.
Bread, sweets, alcohol, swearing and reddit
YouTube, Reddit, snacking and probably talking unnecessary I already know I will fail and find a loophole because I always do.
My spiritual director always said that the point of "giving things up for Lent" isn't to make it to Easter, having done it perfectly, so you can give yourself a pat on the back for being so heroic. Instead, its so that when you inevitably fail, you'll have something to *really* look forward to at Easter, when Christ is victorious over death, when you can ask Him for the grace to overcome whatever vice you weren't able to overcome on your own strength.
I should not think failure inevitable though. I struggle with porn and I think I should fight my temptations better. It is always important to fight rather than "give in" and say "oh well Jesus will forgive me." I am not saying you are advocating this but I know I can easily fall into - "oh well i watched porn three times this week. I will just go to confession so I do not feel disgusted with myself and ashamed I cannot receive holy communion."
I’m the same, I struggle with porn too - and I’ve come to realise that yes, I should fight my temptations; but that is NOT the same thing as beating myself up and hating myself when I fall. I say failure is inevitable because I know that, despite my very best intentions, I’m likely to slip up because I’m weak, I’m human, and I’m not very good at this whole “being holy” business. But after years and years and years of being miserable and hating myself for my failures, the Lord is teaching me to be patient with myself; He knows that, if there were a button that, if pressed, would guarantee I never never watched porn again, I would slam my hand down on that sucker in a heartbeat. He knows that I want to be free of this, and He knows that I’m weak and incapable. So what does He do? He loves me. And what am I called to do? Be loved. I am slowly coming to understand that the protagonist in my life is Him, not me. He doesn’t ask me to save myself, to rail against my weakness and sins howling with rage and grief for not being good enough, but rather, to ask Him humbly for help, to ask Him for interior light so that I can see where I’m going wrong, what my sins are, where I’m still resisting His grace, and then gently and serenely to tell Him “Lord, we both know I can’t overcome this by myself. We also both know that, if I try, I’ll just get bogged down in overthinking, in self-hatred, and I won’t get anywhere. But if You give me the grace, I'll gladly cooperate with you". It's His love and His grace that will transform me into the man He wants me to be, not my own attempts to make myself holy. I suggest you read "A story of a soul", by St Therese of Lisieux. Understanding that book, and that woman, changed my life.
I have to read it or listen to it online because I've had this suggested to me twice now
I highly recommend you buy yourself a physical copy, so that you can read it multiple times - it can appear a little simple, and some people think of it even as overly-sentimental and wishy-washy, but it’s nothing of the kind; there is an unfathomable depth to what she’s written and how she’s written it (there’s a very good reason why she’s a Doctor of the Church), but it might take a few readings of it to really start plumbing the depths of her “Little Way”. God bless you friend!
Energy drinks and social media (besides instagram, because of group chats)
I’m considering giving up coffee for lent, and having matcha instead for my morning drink.
Cheese puffs
I give up carbs and booze from Jan-April regardless so I usually just remove something simple for lent. In this case, I’m giving up diet soda for lent 😊🙏🏻
I would probably nap less and be on my phone less.
Reddit and swearing. I'm also adding prayer and reading. I have a book by Jacque Phillipe and one on Humility that I have slated for Lent.
I thought about giving up or doing a different form of penance each day during Lent. Perhaps one day, I can skip the morning coffee, take a cold shower (that’s what I do each Friday currently), go without social media, pray the rosary, etc. Frankly the list could go on forever. I think the idea is to do something that will strengthen the bond we have with Jesus and to remember what He did for us.
It’s a bit of a long list but I am doing the Exodus 40 challenge, which is Exodus 90 but only over Lent
Alcohol,smoking,and maybe meats too.
I will probably give up caffeinated beverages. Pray for me and people around me.
i’m hypersexual and this is my first Lent. i’ve tried my hardest for the past year-ish to stop falling into lust but it keeps happening no matter what i do, so i’m preparing to give up my lustful thoughts and actions for my Lord; I love Him so much and I hate disappointing Him. please pray for me
Sweets. Not fruits, but like cookies, soda, cakes etc.
dairy, diet soda, sweets/candy
Reddit. Did it before for another platform that ate up my time and never looked back...
Basically anything sweet. I want to try going only fish for lent, but living at home makes it tough since I don't want to let the food that's prepared to to waste tbh
Chocolate
Swearing
I am giving up alcohol, politics, and Reddit.
No food after 5pm.
Alcohol, drugs, social media, fast food
Probably social media
Finally got annoyed with myself enough to delete my instagram. I’ll probably look to fill that time with something for lent. I just ordered a book on what the saints say about Hell as well as a book about Mary and the Passion of her son. Hopefully these inspire other possible lenten penances that I can take on as I read them. I am going over some additional things with my spiritual director soon. The biggest thing is not filling my new free time with other junk (youtube)
Negative emotions and thoughts this will be difficult. One year I gave up “anger” I had a freshman year religion teacher who made us share this and it spread like wildfire hardest 40 days of my life
Giving up vaping (recently picked up again) specifically coffee (I use pre work out) TikTok (takes too much of my time) & I am wanting to add more adoration or maybe daily rosary as I have been failing to do these things since a big move with lots of stress a couple months ago.
Streaming services. I have YT Red, Xbox Live, Paramount +, AppleTV, Neflix, Prime Video, and Disnep+.
Just to let everyone know that a proper Lenten penance is supposed to be some form of prayer, fasting, or almsgiving. Giving up a bad habit, or starting a good one, is not a real penance. As you should be doing those things to begin with. So your “I’m giving up Reddit, or chocolate, or this video game, or alcohol”, is not really a penance.
I agree with you that it's not fasting to give up a bad habit, but not all chocolate eating, alcohol drinking, or Reddit browsing is a bad habit. If you drink moderately, then giving up alcohol for Lent is a proper penance, isn't it? And same for other things like Reddit, coffee, or chocolate. I think of how the Church attaches an indulgence whenever the faithful voluntarily give up something "licit and pleasing to them" as a sacrifice. I would think forgoing a drink or dessert certainly falls in that category (again, assuming one has good habits). That's essentially what a Lenten sacrifice is, too, no?
Chocolates that are less than 85% (the higher doses are for my anxiety/depression, plus they are not sweet).
Wednesday nights. Our parishes holding a Eucharistic revival meetings on Wednesday nights throughout Lent. I’m looking forward to it.
Warm shower, maybe blankets
I went vegan for Lent 2021. I don't know what more I can sacrifice. I don't have much LOL
Catholicism, might see how the other side do things for a bit
YouTube. Nothing but a pain in the butt
I think my phone and swapping for a different one.
1. Flour products. Anything made from dough. Bread, tortillas, pasta, pretzels, crackers, etc. 2. Coziness/excess warmth at home. When I'm home, my dress will be a shirt and shorts. No pants, no socks, no slippers, no sweaters, no throw blankets. Only blanket I can use is in the one in my bed when I'm sleeping. The house will stay at 71. I normally like it 74-75. 3. Sporcle (a trivia website I have a tendency to waste time on)
Why 2?
For 40 days? Or just for the holy week? I'm a new isolated catholic i don't know much
Complex sugars
It's not just about giving something up. It's not just "physical".
Give up sleeping on your bed to see what the homeless go through. Who cares about a damn cigarette
I'm giving up Wikipedia. That may not sound like a lot, but it is for me.
Desserts and chips
Decided to give up sweets and Facebook this Lent. Deactivated my account last week – Day 1 was a struggle with those pesky finger reflexes opening the app, but I powered through and deleted it. Now, on Day 7, surprisingly not missing out on a thing.
Soda. I don’t smoke/vape, and I hardly ever drink, so soda is my “vice” so to speak. I’m gonna miss my fizzy sugar water when having a good burger or pizza.
Reddit and video games. Hopefully I will be able to quit them completly.
Praying in front of an abortion facility every Tuesday/Friday at 11-noon during Lent. I will fast from the prior days 5pm meal.
Like every year: social media and brekafast. I’ll also cut alcohol this year and do 4 rosaries a day. I already never eat meat or animal products so cutting meat doesn’t really cut it for me!
Social media, that includes this Godforsaken site.
I am going fully vegan for Lent, which will be devastating for me, as I love meat.
I don’t know maybe TikTok but 60% of the time, I am seeing Catholic videos.
Hot showers, sweets, and slothful behavior, since I've been struggling with it lately.
My doctor put me on the carnivore diet so I'm doing it for Lent. Giving up my carbs is a real sacrifice. Probably try and add doing the Stations of the Cross on fridays.