I help to lead a church in my local area, so giving something up for lent is a must for me - you cant lead if you cant set good examples! I think this year I'll be giving up video games. Its not a food item - but dieting takes care of that mainly anyway! I think its just about going without something that takes up lots of my time, so I can devote that time to church and God! I know tons of non religious people who give stuff up too - its very liberating knowing that you really do have the choice on what you do with your life, and it shows you that YOU are in control of making the best decisions for health and happiness :)

So I went with three: Facebook, Cheese & Foul language.

I feel like I just need to get back to a positive space; Facebook encourages artificial reports of what should really be my own private life, Cheese was an acceptable food that I took to an extreme which is antithetical to what I'm trying to do, and swearing, well that goes back to the positivity thing.

Swearing I'm hoping to eliminate for good. Facebook I will bring back because it has it's good points. Cheese.... well, we'll see.

I deactivated FB about a week and a half ago and I think I'm OK with that.

I had been thinking about giving up something for lent this year. I'm actually an atheist, but I was raised catholic, so it was something I did half hearted as a child. But now as an adult, I feel that the idea of lent has very strong roots in self growth. I didn't actually settle on something to give up, and gave up on the idea of giving up (huh? lol) but after finding this thread, something came to me that I would like to give up. I don't want to share it, but I think it will bring me a lot of growth that would benefit our home environment. Its not yelling lol...but I want to work on that too. With 3 kids, I find it hard to not yell sometimes because the children are just so loud!! Maybe I'll get a megaphone...

Facebook can be depressing if all you see are good reports and Caribbean vacation photos. I removed the Facebook app from my phone so I don't check it all day.

As did I. I can't believe how much I must have been on it, because I constantly find myself going for the button.

I've considered 'taking something on for Lent' that is positive, maybe going out with friends more or going to church more, something that enriches one's life.

Wannabeskinny, I agree with giving up dieting! I don't find that diets help, they make things worse for me instead usually.

I love the idea of resisting the yelling. I really struggle with that and it's such a great idea. I'm really going to make an effort to not yell at my daughter when she's misbehaving.

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I'm working on learning Cross stitch. I'd love to be able to do all the things my grandmother did. And it's less time staring blindly at the tv!

Oh that brings back such good memories! I used to do a lot of cross-stitch years ago. It was very popular when I was a young mother. I think you'll enjoy that a lot!

I've given up wine for Lent. It truly is a penance for me as I love my nightly glass (sometimes 2!) of wine, but it's also a trigger for me to eat when I'm not hungry. So although I am doing it as a form of both penance and self-discipline, I will probably see a small weight loss as well. I gave it up for 90 days last year (Feb-May) and lost 10 lbs.

*nods* I dropped my FB account a few years ago and to be honest, I now can't see what the appeal was to begin with. I have other channels to get news about family and friends though- mainly my mother, who is a FB junkie and shameless gossip. :D I'm not sure I'll ever be completely free of it while everyone I talk to is on it.

Lent is one of my favorite times of year. There is an intimacy about it that other marked times of the year don't seem to have for me. I'm sure it has something to do with the self-reflective and personal sacrifice aspects. For many of us, particularly women, we spend so much of our time working outward--nurturing, providing, soothing, answering others--that it can be incredibly difficult (for many reasons) to look inward.

This year for Lent I've decided to stop eating out. Most of the time when I do it's for convenience (didn't pack lunch, forgot to eat breakfast) and to socialize. It's not an every day occurrence, but I do it just enough that I notice it. It's only been 2 days (barely!) but already I find myself thinking ahead and planning better.

I've chosen to add something in this year. A group from our church is going to a yoga instructor and learning more about the spiritual aspect of yoga and adding it as a discipline to our lives throughout Lent and then hopefully keeping up with it after.

Last year I gave up alcohol and sweets for Lent.

This year I am giving up alcohol, cheese and gluttony (all forms of overeating) for Lent. I'm religious enough that I am much more successful if I feel accountable to God for something.

I'm also trying to strengthen my relationship with God by reading more scripture and watching Mass online (I don't attend a church) and doing nice things/charitable acts.