10 Ways to Turn Lent into 40 Days of Self Improvement!

I grew up in a Catholic household.  Without getting into details, let’s just say that when I got older I decided to find my spirituality without the Church.  Today, I am more spiritual than ever, and I find life very exciting.  Recently, I heard someone talking about what they were giving up for Lent.  This got me thinking….

You see, Lent is supposed to be about us remembering that Jesus went into the desert for 40 days to fast before he began his public ministry.  Since then Catholic tradition has been about fasting and self penitence as a way of cleansing us from our sins.

Growing up I would often give up one of my favorite things for 40 days because it was Lent and I was supposed to do it as a good Catholic, but deep down I never wanted to do it or knew what it was really for.  I just did it because I was told to do it.

Today, I have my own ideas about spirituality and sins.  With regards to sins, I no longer believe we will be punished for doing certain acts, but I do believe we will be punished by certain acts. It was the Buddha that said, “You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.” You see, I believe that the energy we give out through our thoughts, words, and actions has real energy power and the energy of those things will eventually come back to us in the people, situations, and experiences we face in the future. This is better known as Karma, and I talk about this in great detail in my book, Awaken Your Power.  In this way, we attract the future we experience. If  your life is not happy, God is not responsible, you are.  If you want a better life, start practicing to attract better things into your life through your thoughts words and actions. God can still be a big part of your life but you are the one who attracts the events you experience.

So I suggest adding a new twist to Lent. Instead of giving up something special in your life, how about doing something to make yourself a better person or to help another who is need?   After all doesn’t Jesus talk off unconditional love? Why don’t we turn Lent from a mundane ritual about self-sacrifice into an empowering 40 day celebration of self improvement?

So I am offering a personal challenge to each and everyone who reads this blog post.  What are you willing to do to better yourself or someone else for the next forty days?  You don’t even need to plan anything. You can simply be aware of practicing certain traits that Jesus taught us to use. This would include traits like love, compassion, forgiveness, understanding, and many others.

Here a list of 10 possible things you can do for lent

1. Find a new way to tell your spouse each day that you love him/her.
2. Come home early to play with your kids.
3. Give money or food to the homeless without regards to what they are going to do with it (Like buying alcohol)
4. Forgive someone who you have yet to forgive. (Watch how the world seems to lift off your shoulders.)
5. Practice random acts of kindness (pay for the next person’s toll behind you on the toll bridge.)
6. Make it a habit to smile at people when they talk to you.
7. Set each day off right by taking 10 seconds to appreciate what is already good in your life.
8. Write down 5 affirmations of what life looks like.  (I am..healthy, wealthy, fit, loved, and successful!)
9. Practice personal excellence at whatever you are doing. Become know for it.
10. Be Accountable. Do whatever you say you are going to do.

Until next time, remember that your thoughts create your reality so think positive thoughts!

Joe Rapisarda

www.JoeRapisarda