We are three weeks into Lent; have you have given up something you love to observe this especially religious time of year?

Christians honor Lent as the season of conversion. They acknowledge the many different ways that may have turned them away from God by focusing on the three pillars: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. By giving something up, they are practicing a modern form of fasting.

In general, the sacrifices people give up are considered bad habits. A few of the most common sacrifices include chocolate, soda, fast food and smoking. We have an interesting thought, if you can give up something for 40 days, why do you have to go back to your old ways when Lent is over?

There’s an old myth that says it takes 21 days to form a habit. New studies show that habit-forming actually takes 66 days. If it’s true that 66 is the magic number, then you are more than halfway to the end goal! However, if the idea of giving up your guilty pleasure completely gives you nightmares, maybe it’s time to think about practicing moderation.

Consider this; say you stop at the coffeehouse five times a week on your way to work for an extra large latte. Not only are you consuming an average of 240 calories a day, but you are also spending nearly $4 a day and almost $20 a week on your morning pick-me-up. If you add that up for an entire year, you are spending close to $950. Yikes!

Rather than buying a Latte each day, think about brewing your own coffee at home and using your favorite flavored creamer four days a week then having a latte only day each week. Think about which day you’d like to reward yourself – maybe Friday to get an early start on the weekend or Monday to make that less-than-perfect day a little easier to manage. By reducing the number of lattes you consume each week from five to one, you are likely reducing your weekly calorie intake drastically as well as keeping more money in your wallet. By using our example, you would be saving about $821 each year.

What will you do with all of your savings? If it’s anything close to our scenario, you can do a lot! You could take a mini-vacation, splurge on something you normally wouldn’t or make your sacrifice even more special; make a difference by using those funds to support a charity like Lions Pride.

The Lions Pride Endowment Fund makes it easy with automatic payment options. One Pride Donor has said, “I have a $20 monthly donation coming out of my checking account every month, I don’t even miss it.” There are many ways you can donate to Lions Pride, click here to see all the options available.

By giving up something you care about during Lent, you are showing yourself just how much willpower you really have. Remember, you are more powerful than you think. Continued Success!