A fast is simply abstaining from something for a period of time. Fasting is a time honored, often spiritual, tradition. Though it is often associated with food, there are many elements that can insidiously insert themselves into our lifestyles when we are not paying attention. Bad habits happen to all of us. .
Fasting in all of its forms, is an exercise in self-control. Whether it is caffeine, sugar, video games, shopping, cybersurfing, social media or television – pick your “vice.”. And self-control holds benefit for all—regardless of your spiritual background.
Here’s how to start:
- Choose your element – ask yourself what is the one thing you don’t think you could live without.
- Choose a timeframe – I recommend starting small and working your way up – can be one day, a week, a month, or even one day per week.
- Prepare yourself for the commitment you have made for yourself. If you decide to give up coffee, you might want to ensure you have an alternate beverage to replace it with. If you decide to give up eating out, you will need to make sure you take the time to prepare your meals.
- Expect it to be difficult – especially at the beginning. Let it be hard, accept that the difficulty is part of the process. If you don’t find it difficult, maybe your choice wasn’t as much of an issue for you as you may have thought.
- Be gentle with yourself. If you don’t manage to achieve your goal, be humbled by your efforts to try.
- Once the fast is over, then re-introduce the item back into your life gently and consciously. Let yourself decide if and/or how much this space this item/habit is permitted in your new routine. Choosing to do/eat something consciously changes the experience completely. Moderation will often be the “new normal.”
Fasting isn’t sexy, but it is of great value. You will discover things about yourself from this practice. You will regain self-control over all of the elements in your life. You will feel better about yourself – you deserve it.