Two years ago, I gave up social media for Lent. 40 days of doing without. Something.

Although the religious affiliation I have identified with since my teen years neither practices nor preaches Lent, the years I spent in seminary introduced me to the historic and practical relevance of Lent.

Beginning the day after Mardi Gras, the 40 days of Lent marks a season of self-denial that culminates on Easter Sunday, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Death. Resurrection. Dying to one thing in order to live, or make space for something else. Something better.

“You’re a hard habit to break,” the band Chicago reminds us.

Habits are, well, hard to break.

Recently, my daughter who is taking an addiction and recovery class at Texas Tech University told me about her class assignment to give up for 31 days something each of them craved. I followed that lead and the 31 days ended February 28. The point was to identify with those in recovery who every day must begin again and say No to whatever hinders their progress.

This exercise overlapped with the beginning of Lent, leading me to question the motivation for doing without.

Digital Minimalism

Last year, I came across a podcast “How Social Media May Be Ruining Your Life.”

The author of “Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World” shared how yours and my attention is monetized on Social Media. He said, “Facebook is valued at more than Exxon Mobil . . . and what Facebook does is extract attention away from you.”

“If it’s on your phone, it’s using you.”

Cal Newport, Digital Minimalism

Newport referred to Social Media as “cognitive junk food” that impairs the ability to focus. He also linked mental health issues of the first generation to have Smart Phones, comparing addiction to food leading to obesity and addiction to our mobile devices leading to our inability to concentrate.

“Hard things are boring,” he said. “Concentration is hard work . . . It’s good to be bored” in order to use our imagination.

Going back to Steve Job’s initial introduction to the iPhone, he said that Jobs wanted “an elegant device” and did not want apps to detract from the phone that also played music.

So, Cal Newport made the suggestion to take 30 days away from Social Media and apps that you use. After that, start with a clean slate and intentionally add only those things in line with your values.

Good advice: “Make each app earn its way back.”

While I did not take his advice, Newport made me think. Made me evaluate the ways I waste time and the frustration that mounts with my inability to focus and get good at something.

Things like finishing a manuscript I’ve been working on for 10 years. Or keeping up with this blog. Or the other website I have about handwriting notes to send to people I care about.

Two years ago, I sent a note to someone different each day of the 40 days of Lent. I gave up something in order to make time to do this. Something tangible ended up in the hands of someone instead of relying on technology alone to maintain these important connections.

Here’s the rub. If you are reading this post, you are using technology. My hope is that this technology helps you give up something in order to gain something better.