Don’t give up hope - there is life after Lent
Forty days is a long time to give something up or keep a healthy new habit going – so if you’ve managed to get through Lent, that’s a real achievement.
Whether it was alcohol, caffeine, sugar, chocolate, crisps, smoking or something else entirely you were abstaining from, you may have noticed you feel loads better having done so. Despite its religious background, Lent is often used by people of all or no faiths as a chance to make a change – and if you’re enjoying the rewards that’s bringing to your life, you might want to keep it going.
So here are three ways to help you keep up your Lent-inspired changes…
1. Look at change as an opportunity, not a restriction
Bestselling author Michaela Weaver, aka The Alcohol Coach (thealcoholcoach.com), has been helping people kick their dependence on drink for almost a decade. “Periods like Lent remind us to look at our lifestyle and ask questions about what we need to change,” says Weaver. “It is the inward reflection that prompts us to think about the benefits of change, and then to start.”
And connecting with the ‘benefits of change’ is key. After all, if you view the change you’ve made as a barrier to happiness, it’ll never feel quite right.
In Weaver’s case, giving up alcohol after realising she had a toxic relationship with it, opened up a wealth of new opportunities for her. “When we are empowered by choice, we can grow into the changes we seek, as we expand away from previous habits and into the future that we want for ourselves,” she says.
2. Don’t be afraid of failure – everybody slips up
During times like Lent, there can be a lot of pressure to be 100% ‘perfect’ at giving something up, or cutting something out entirely overnight. But to be sustainable in the long run, you may need a more moderate approach – otherwise, cravings may derail you completely, or you might give up if you feel like you’ve ‘failed’.
Flo Seabright, founder of Fit by Flo (fitbyflo.com), says: “Lent is a great time to build a new set of habits and to start better habits. I would personally take the approach of not cutting something out totally – we place a focus on showing up, even if it is with consistent imperfect action.”
Making sure your environment is pro-change will help. “If you want to drink more water, always have a water bottle on your desk. If you want to reduce snacking on less nutritious things, make sure they aren’t in the house,” says Seabright. Motivation, in her view, will wane – but that is OK as we are only human.
3. Celebrate your determination
Cravings are a natural part of giving something up that you have enjoyed for a long time. Whether it’s alcohol, chocolate or meat, giving something up will inevitably lead to cravings for that thing you miss.
But, the longer you persevere, the easier it will get – and you should absolutely celebrate your success by finding new ways to reward yourself for your triumphs.