fasting- not just for lent anymore

in honor of the lenten season i am under a self-imposed dvd rental “fast.” whether you recognize the religious tradition of lent or not i would encourage you to consider giving something up for a least a month. i’ve done this before; last time i gave up tv watching for the christmas season. i was amazed by how much happier i was. not watching commercials and “things you must buy” segments on talk shows really helped me to be content and not to overspend. i’m hoping to have such a period of peace this time around.if you fast (as i’ve already explained, it doesn’t necessarily have to be food) you’ll be surprised by how addicted you are to certain things, like technology or mindless entertainment. as icing on the proverbial cake you’ll probably save a few bucks in the process. the ultimate goal is to realize how little some things really matter and how you truly can live without them. i still watch tv, just not as often. in fact, since i’ve cut out a significant amount of previously-devoted time and put it to better use. consequently, i feel more productive and so much less inclined to tune out the world around me.

i urge you to use this time as a kind of audit- access your lifestyle. where can you save time? how can your time be better spent? what unncessessary items can you live without? where can you save money? how can you slow down and rest more often? in what ways are you lazy or unproductive? what activities will help bring you closer to family and friends? lent doesn’t just have to be about abstaining from meat.

~ by superflowerchild on March 12, 2009.