A friend of mine asked on FB a couple weeks ago whether someone wanted to take on the challenge of giving up something for Lent. While I am not religious, I am very much about reflection and challenging oneself. So, I said that I was in. So for a while I will be giving up sweets and drinking beverages that are not water.
From an outsider perspective, it seems to me that Lent is in part about mindfulness. Obviously abstinence/restraint/sacrifice is a key element, but to me, what is the point of sacrifice without mindfulness. Because this is not symbolic of faith for me, yet I am borrowing from a tradition that is very important to those who practice, I want to be respectful in my approach for this challenge. For me, this is about paying attention to the way that I treat my body. I am fortunate enough to be healthy, and I am grateful for that. I exercise regularly. I try to eat well. I make getting enough rest a priority.
However, I am uncomfortable with my coffee-drinking habits. And one area where I could use more mindfulness and more restraint is where it comes to sweets. These are things that could use improvement. I think that a part of respecting your body is treating it well. This is something that I hope to pass on, by example, to my son.