“And what did you give up for Lent?” If I had a nickel for
every time I heard this string of words lately. . . I’d be perhaps a candy bar
richer. As is customary this time of
year, lots of my friends have chosen to give something up for Lent, whether it
be chocolate, drinking, TV etc. And inevitably, I am asked what I ‘gave up’.
Having gone to Catholic school for the better part of 10 years, I get the drill
and the reasoning behind it – I just don’t think it’s a good way to effect
lasting change or long-term altered behavior.
As a child, I would give something up (typically
candy/sweets) and then consume in excess the previously forbidden fruit the
second Easter arrived. I was even happier when I discovered the alleged ‘loophole’
that you are allowed to violate your resolution on Sundays. Even now, as a mostly
adult, I feel like lots of people go through the motions for 40 days, and then
totally forget about whatever it was they had given up. Much like a new year’s
resolution gone stale by February.
So, I ask you, what lasting changes have been made? Are you
a better person for having sacrificed something temporarily? Maybe, maybe not.
Who’s to say? This year I’m going to try something different. Instead of giving
something up, I’m going to try to proactively alter my fundamental behavior
such that it lasts beyond the 40 days of Lent. I’ve tried this before with
little success, but for every weekday, I’m going to get up at 6AM and do
something productive for 45 minutes before getting ready for work. Whether it’s
working out, practicing piano, reading a book, cleaning my room, or writing on
here, something will be done.
The idea is that
hopefully this will become something I look forward to, and will be able to
build into my routine going forward. Now, I tend to wake up at 6, and press the
snooze button 3 times. This feels good in the short run, but let's do a little math, shall we?
0.75 hrs/day x 5
days/week = 3.75 hrs/week x 52 weeks/year = 195 hrs/year x 100
years of life remaining = 19,500 hours
19,500 hours. According to Malcom Gladwell, that’s enough time
to become a world-class expert in TWO subjects. Now, this is extraordinarily
unlikely to happen, but it just serves to illustrate the point how a small
change now can have a massive impact down the road. Like compound interest.
Alternatively, and this may be an idea for next year: have one new experience/go someplace new every week. I'm lucky enough to live in New York City, where potential abounds, but sometimes the impetus is lacking. Now if you'll excuse me, this paragraph was thrown in here because I just though of the idea and don't trust myself to remember it a year from now.
Anyway, now that I’ve wasted several precious minutes of
your life with this drivel, I get to ask you: What are YOU giving up for Lent?
Until next time,
Ian
I really like this idea. If I had an ounce of willpower, I would do it, too. Let me know how it goes. Love you! Like your musings a lot, too!
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