I used to try and give up drinking. But it always became a backwards Mardi Gras for me.
I always wondered how you all made it until Easter and seemed so stable.
Until I gave it up for good!
Now I give out in lieu of give up.
My mother (who died almost 30 years ago) always told us to “try to be a better person” in lieu of giving something up for Lent.
From my pastor: “It’s not about giving up something bad; it’s about making space in order to intentionally invest in something meaningful.” Giving up gossip or complaining to make space for affirmation and kindness certainly fits the bill.
In my local paper there was a suggestion to give up plastic bags, using this time to adopt new earth-friendly habits. That would certainly be an investment in something meaningful! I have already given up plastic bags so need to keep thinking…
I want to give up chocolate but that seems cliche and somewhat trite, given this investing in something meaningful frame. Maybe I need to give up some screen time and invest in daily meditation/prayer/spiritual reading.
So many wonderful suggestions! Going to give up my evening snack habit and really work on getting in some more exercise 
Also like the idea of “making space for affirmation and kindness” @Embracethemess so adding that as well as daily committment to prayer. Would love to give up social media but that may have to wait until d19 has made a decision. Then again, cutting back drastically may also help with the other Lenten goals
@abasket I completely agree it is a difficult definition. I have heard a couple of helpful things to keep me in check-
“Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary?” The other is to ask myself, “Do I want to have the person I tell this to, turn around and say @meddy told me this.” Honestly, if that first one didn’t stop me, that last one gets me to pump the breaks! 
I once interviewed for a really great job on Ash Wednesday and announced that I was giving up alcohol. Then I didn’t get the job and I sometimes wonder if I could have made better conversation there.
Just let me get through Mardi Gras first…
I am a “critical” person–it is just how I grew up. Nothing is ever “pretty good.” It always “needs improvement” in a half-dozen ways–all of which I will tell you about right now! A couple years ago I tried to “accentuate the positive/eliminate the negative” in my speech. I failed within hours! The harder I tried to be positive, the more I was saying even harsher things more frequently than before. It seemed like the devil was after me!
Last year I was more successful in my pledge to work harder in one area of my life, and I added some good habits and routines which still continue. Maybe I’m ready to try the “positive speech” again.
H is doing a program called Exodus 90 with a Catholic men’s group. E90 is like a double Lent on steroids. (Any others here heard of it?) It involves fasting, exercise, cold showers, abstaining from media, etc. for 90 days. H is 40+ days into it already. I’m not sure if he’s really sticking to everything–he’s kinda weak on the exercise and media use, imo. (Just realized I said something negative there…but it is not Lent yet. What I really mean is, “God bless him for trying!”)
@atomom You lost me at cold showers. Wow. I take mine short of lava hot. 
I prefer lava hot, too.
Only H is taking the cold showers. Not even a “shower” because he only turns the water on for a few seconds to wet down and rinse off.
Just thinking how much our water bill would go down if the whole family (six of us in the house now) did this…
But I just don’t want to. It’s still winter and the water is terribly cold-- I think my heart would stop!
I always remind my church members that they can indulge on Sunday’s in whatever they are sacrificing (Sunday’s are always considered feast days so they are not counted - thus “40 days” between Ash Wednesday and Easter instead of the actual number).
Not recommended however if you are giving up gossip and other unhealthy behaviors or attitudes! Best keep the allowed lapse to things like chocolate or dessert.
I just saw this and I may have to (mostly) give up plastic