With our celebration of Ash Wednesday tomorrow, Lent will spring into action. Besides just a time to enjoy fish fries, Lent is a time for us all to give something up or do something extra to prepare for Easter!

What should you choose to give up for Lent? It is sometimes difficult to pick out what to give up for Lent, but there are a multitude of different options right in front of us.

A popular thing to fast from during Lent is social media, but you can also choose more abstract things like complaining or cussing.

If you’re feeling up to it, I know people who have taken the idea of giving something up to the extreme and given up sleeping in their bed or wearing their favorite tennis shoes.

However, fasting for Lent is not the only way to go. For those who struggle giving something up, doing something extra may be the perfect idea.

Whether you choose to say an extra prayer each night before bed or try to compliment someone every day, doing something extra is a great way to challenge yourself this Lent and be more active in your faith.

Now that you’ve chosen your Lenten promise, what can you do to keep it?

The hardest part of Lent is not deciding what you should do, but how you will continuously do it throughout the season.

Accountability partners are an excellent way to stay on top of things. Recruit a friend or family member to remind you about your promise, so that there’s no way you can fall behind. If you want your Lenten promise to be more personal and secretive, you can always set reminders on your phone or put a sticky note on your mirror that you will see every morning.

When all is said and done, don’t worry as much about not eating chocolate or not checking social media. Use Lent as a time to set aside the unimportant things you usually put before Christ, and grow in your relationship with Him a little extra this year.