Have you thought about what you're going to be doing during Lent yet? No? As of this posting, Lent starts in exactly two weeks with Ash Wednesday. For many of us, we don't start thinking about Lenten practices until perhaps Ash Wednesday. For some of us, we might be halfway into Lent when we realize that we really should be doing something to commemorate the Season.
Today is the day to start making a Lenten Plan. Like any big life changes, we need to start planning. The best way of doing that is to start off with a pen and a piece of paper. Just start jotting down some ideas. Another useful exercise is to look at your schedule. Map out the times when you think that you can start integrating some of your ideas. You'll be surprised that with just a few minutes of thinking and planning, you'll already get the creative juices flowing.
Stick to the plan when you create a plan. Lent is the perfect time to do this because others are supposed to be doing something as well. Perhaps this is a great time to challenge a friend to start something new with you. The extra encouragement and accountability always help. As with most things in life, we adapt certain virtues the more that we practice them.
For most of us, we tend to give up some type of food or activity as a way to usher in the Lenten season. The truth is that while giving up what we truly enjoy is admirable, the Season of Lent is about improving as human being. We are able to build ourselves and others up by committing to new things. This might be a commitment to pray before and after sleeping. This might be a commitment to pray during car commutes. This may also be committing yourself to attending daily Mass once or multiple times per week. The possibilities are seemingly endless, but as with any activity in life, it takes an act of the will in order to start and to finish.
