Hell-Bent on Winning Lent

I think it's fair to say that 49% of us Brits either completely forget that some men got lost in the desert for 40 days 2017 years ago, or just use lent as an excuse for a detox.

Surrendering a "sin" for 40 days is no mean feat, especially when you can order most "sins" to come straight to your house within an hour from a varied selection of apps.

Food, booze, strip-o-grams; you name it, they deliver it. We're immersed in a culture of indulgence and greed, determined  (or hell-bent, even) to consume the most, the best and the coolest "sins" we can find.

But that's not all, a weird counter-culture has hit the mainstream recently, equally as centred around apps and technology, and peoples overwhelming desire to be the best, coolest and most dedicated abstainer.

A clear-cut divide between people who want to eat the most and people who want to run the most. Admittedly not quite as extreme and poignant as the ever-disputed divide between the 49% of us that say "for Christ's sake" and those that believe in Christ's sake, but still worth mentioning, I feel.

Because no matter whether you're a consumer or an abstainer; a binger or... well, an abstainer, we all face a very similar problem around this time: What the fuck am I giving up for lent?

Follow up questions might include:

• Is trying to give up chocolate again too cliché?
• Can I make this look good on Instagram?
• I already gave up smoking in October and booze in January, what's next?!
• I'm a perfect human being who doesn't drink, smoke or eat unhealthily and I'm a fit as fuck, what do I give up?

Answers to the previous questions might include:

• Yes, try cake instead
• Yes, track you progress with pictures of delicious/healthy alternatives
• Finding happiness from within, instead of relying on external "necessities"
• Give up being a show-off twat, then.

Jesus fasted in the wilderness and now we celebrate Lent

Joking aside, I've totally ignored Lent for the last few years because I couldn't think of anything original to give up. The idea of surrendering my coffee addiction to the cause crossed my mind last year, until I got a job in Cuckoo Callay, an Insta-famous coffee shop in Syndey; it wasn't given a second thought.

Maybe the problem with only using Lent as a form of detox, instead of a way to serve God, diminishes our level of dedication to the cause. We need reason, or passion, even, to kick us up the backside. If you can adhere to the culture of abstinence enough to participate in STOPtober and Dry January, and you're committed enough to find your bikini body under layers of Christmas in time for Summer then surely, we can find reason for the oldest fasting tradition in British history. That I know of.

So let's think about this logically...

Catholics and Christians give up bad habits, or things they over-indulge in, for Lent to pay homage to Jesus, who fasted for 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness, and thus cleanse their eternal souls of some sin and prove their devotion.

Now lets consider how to relate this to our own eternally doomed souls. Give up bad habits, or things we over-indulge in, for Lent, to improve our souls and pay homage to what we believe in. What do we believe in? US!!!

We believe in ourselves and our power to rule the world and treat our bodies like a temple because it helped us get to where we are now, and if you're not where you want to be at the moment, then giving your body a little pick-me-up might just be the place to start that change.

Putting aside all the consumerist, meaningless bull-shit that we usually give up, why not consider giving up something else that's having a negative impact on your life or the world? A woman came into the shop I work in a couple of days ago and claimed she was giving up plastic for lent. That meant not only plastic bags and bottles, but also food packaging and her credit card! This benefits of this were pretty drastic.

But maybe try something more appropriate for you...

• Maybe give up hitting snooze in the morning. ASAP Science explains that letting yourself fall back to sleep, starts a new sleep cycle, which will then be interrupted when your next alarm goes off and you'll feel even worse. Get up and fit in some breakfast or a morning walk to help kick-start your day instead.
• Is social media affecting your relationships? Are you spending too much time on your phone and laptop? Do you crave checking your notifications when you're at work? Try turning off your phone during certain parts of the day like when you're with friends and family, or walking the dog. Turn it off and interact.
• Go veggie/vegan! Personally, I'm sick of meat. It stands for humans grip on the rest of the world, our ability to manipulate nature and play God pisses me off... and seeing as it's Lent, y'know? Why not challenge yourself?
• Give up negativity! I know what you're thinking, but I had to add in something cheesy. The important part about this one though, is it's actually less about not being negative, and more about being positive! Limit stress through yoga or writing down your worries, and then finish it off with something positive. Be a little bit spontaneous, say yes and think about what you're working towards and get excited about it.

Me? I'm giving up stress. Avoiding antagonising conversations about politics and my future [lack of] career; creating more time for my favourite therapeutic activities such as baking, running, swimming, yoga, reading and writing... Hence this blog, really. I also went for a 3 mile run today. Not impressed? Tough. I'm a beginner and you've given up negativity.

Peace Out ♥