My Lent challenge – giving up complaining!
Florence near her fish pond in Zambia
Eleanor works in the Volunteer Support team at CAFOD. Here she talks about what inspired her Lent challenge this year.
7am ‘I’m so tired….urgh….why didn’t I go to bed earlier?
10am ‘How is it only 10am?! It feels like 5pm!’
1pm ‘I wish I’d brought a different lunch’
And repeat!
Looking back on some text messages I exchanged with a good friend of mine I realised that our conversations were a bit on the…whingey side! Not only that, but every conversation was an almost identical list of complaints about things that were really not worth complaining about.
Do something positive this Lent. Support our Lent Fast Day appeal.
For Lent I usually give up things like chocolate, cakes and caffeine, but looking back at all my moaning I wondered if I could try to give up my worst habit of all – complaining!
Now we are officially in Holy Week ‘giving up complaining’ is still a work in progress, but I think I am making progress. I’ve been inspired by Laudato Si’ where it says, ‘we should accept ‘each moment as a gift from God to be lived to the full.’ I hope that by complaining less, and appreciating the positives in my life more I can implement this in my everyday life.
I was also inspired by Florence’s story, which is highlighted in this year’s Lent appeal. It is such a positive one. With her hard work, commitment and dedication she transformed her life.
Read more about this year’s Lent Fast Day appeal.
A trick I have found helpful is whenever a complaint slips out is to think of the situation again in a positive light. It’s definitely made my days brighter. I’m also using his approach in another way and turning my complaints into cash – every complaint made is a donation to CAFOD’s Lent Appeal. By doing this I know that even if I slip up my donation can help build a positive future for women like Florence.