7 Things to give up for Lent
(Relax, chocolate escapes the cull…)
Being a Life Coach is a funny old game, and especially at the start of a year
By now, you may well be worn to the bone with goal setting, visioning, mantras, journals and methodologies invented to try and put form around what it takes to really enjoy life.
Instead, let me offer you 7 things that I think will serve you well to ‘give up’ during this Lent tide season — you may be tempted to dump them more permanently once you’ve given them a whirl.
- Give up waiting for ‘the day’ when you are happy.
It seems like happiness has so many conditions for so many of us that we are doomed to be unhappy for most of the time. Ease back on the ‘I’ll be happy when…” mantra and begin to see that happiness is a lot more available than you might think. Claim it, or better still let it claim you!
2. Give up putting off that which you know you want/ need to do.
The more I wander through life, the more I think that ‘right time’ is a delaying tactic that we’d be best to let go. Get those things done.
3. Give up the idea that you’re not good enough, worthy enough or deserving enough.
And please don’t fill your days with well meant ways to attempt to feel ‘enough’. They are entanglement games of the mind and generally just more procrastination. You’re here, that’s enough.
4. Give up listening to experts.
Built in to the human psyche is the ‘knowing what to do next’ and this gut/ knowing/ wisdom is your GPS for life.
5. Listen to experts, or better still someone who genuinely loves you.
People who love us have an interesting skill of telling us what we already know, yet it’s nice to have it confirmed.
6. Give up taking it all too seriously.
Life is short, beautiful and a gift — and the real pleasure of a gift is that the giver wants you to receive and enjoy it.
7. LOVE
Give up not loving and not being loved. Tell the people you love that you love them. The day will arise when you can only whisper it to the wind.
And LOVE yourself, not in an arrogant and reckless way, but thought fully, care fully — you’re precious, and we need you.
9.2.16 DPK
