In the Episcopalian tradition, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. Because I am Episcopalian, at least in name, that is how long I will be observing Lent. In accordance with the invitation from the Book of Common Prayer (p. 265) to observe Lent “by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word”, here is what I plan on doing for Lent:
As has been my custom for several years, I’m starting Lent with a day off from work on Ash Wednesday. This year, I didn’t have to take a vacation day as with my new part-time schedule, I just happen to be off that day. Who knows? Maybe I’ll even make it to my hometown church for ashes.
Giving up
- Giving up alcohol, starting this Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, until Holy Saturday night. Over the last year, I’ve probably consumed more wine than I ought, so this isn’t a bad thing – at all. Plus I’ve gained a lot of weight, thanks/no thanks to wine, so again this isn’t a bad thing – at all. (This was exactly what I wrote in 2021 and still true this year.)
- Soda
Adding
- Special reading: Reading from No Man is An Island by Thomas Merton and The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When The World Overwhelms You by Elaine N. Aron Ph. D.
- Walks
If you are a Christian and observe Lent, what are your plans for the season? If you belong to another faith tradition, do you have practices within it to reflect on your faith daily and/or periodically? Anything you read for your particular faith? If you have no faith tradition, how do you relax/meditate/stay calm?
As in the past, I used my post on my Lenten Plans 2019 as a template for this post.
Still an unfinished person... 
Giving up soda seems like a very good idea! I guess the wine, too, but not as fun. I hope the reading you take on are good.
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I’ve been thinking about connections with the beginning of Lent and the book I’m reading, Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole.
I will be observing Lent, but I haven’t made any concrete plans.
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I don’t do lent (and am not Christian), but I do find the principles to be similar to the ones I use to create my yearly and/or quarterly goals. Like for instance, I looked back on 2022 and saw that I had been drinking far more wine than usual, especially over the summer, and I wanted to reverse that trend. I made a goal to halve the number of drinks I had this year compared to last. And while I didn’t do it this year, because my focus this year is to remove stuff from my plate rather than add to it, I’ve often had years when I want to add more focus on yoga for strength and mobility, or add time to journal, read more nonfiction, etc.
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