Giving up life's distractions

I love the liturgical calender. And out of all of the seasons, the season of Lent is probably my favorite.

I love the prescribed time for reflection and the celebration of new life with Easter at the end of Lent.

To some people Lenten sacrifices might seem like a dogmatic, meaningless tradition. But for me giving up something, or changing my routine, between Ash Wednesday and Easter, frees me to contemplate and focus on things that matter.

Each year when I think about what to give up for lent, I think of the things that captivate my mind and distract me the most.

Here are the top five distractions in my life this year. I haven’t decided which ones I will attempt to give up yet, but I hope to have made a choice by the time I post this blog.

1. Facebook. I have given this up in past years, but became dependent on Facebook again as soon as logged back in. Facebook seems to be the ultimate time suck for me. Now that I work from home it’s even worse.

2. Comfort food. When I am stressed, bored, lonely, or mad I turn to food. For obvious reasons cutting sweets would be a good option.

3. Television. I have become seriously addicted to television over the past two years. (I am actually watching Smash as I write this.) I blame my husband for this new vice. I didn’t even have cable before we moved in together.

4. Shopping, especially online shopping. If Facebook is my number one time suck online, Ebay, Amazon and Groupon are tied for second. I mean I really can’t start my day without reading through all the Groupon getaways. You just never know when one of them might meet my vacation needs.

5. Celebrity gossip. I am embarrassed at the amount of celebrity gossip that enters my mind on a daily basis. From Good Morning America’s pop news, to the talking points on The View, I just can’t seem to get away from juicy celebrity news. That is unless I actually tried.

I have a lot choose from,when it comes to giving up the distractions in my life. I look forward to this season of reflection, simplicity, and centering. Happy Ash Wednesday.