Ideas for Lent for those in Survival Mode

I can't believe Lent is already beginning next week. As a mom to little ones, I am always wondering how else I could possibly add another sacrifice to my life when I'm already running on so little. But then I try to remember that the point of Lent is to draw closer to God and there are so many ways to live the 3 pillars of Lent. 

The three pillars of Lent are fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. Below we have some ideas of what you could do or at least to get you thinking outside of the box!

Fasting

1. Give up endless scrolling on social media
2. Give up saying yes when you mean no
3. Give up inessential spending
4. Give up listening to music and podcasts in the car
5. Give up an afternoon coffee
   

Instead

1. Go to bed before 10pm
2. Set a slower pace with a less packed schedule
3. Be very intentional with where you spend money
4. Allow for more silence during mundane tasks
5. Move your body every day
   
   

Prayer

1. Make a daily joy list and thank God for each moment
2. Say one decade of the rosary every day
3. Set a timer and sit in silence for one minute every day
4. Recite the Surrender Prayer daily (O my Jesus, I surrender my life to you. Take care of everything)
5. Pray for those who don’t have anyone to pray for them
   
   

Almsgiving

1. Tell the people you live with one thing you love about them every week
2. Donate $1/day to a cause you support
3. Send a gift card every week to someone who is having a hard time
4. Purchase a gift for a friend from a local small business
5. Make blessing bags to have in your car for those in need.
   
   

And don't forget that even in the desert, flowers bloom, too! Join our conversation over on instagram where others are sharing their ideas!