The digital age has changed our habits completely over the past decade or so and like all habits, some need to be put in their place and challenged. From the words we choose to use to the ways we spend our spare hours, it has taken over our lives in ways that can sometimes feel a little scary. So, I've identified a few common 2012 habits that might make good candidates for lent avoidance.
1. Saying things are "amazing"
Several years ago now a fashion journalist (I forget which) foolishly announced that the word "amazing" had replaced the word "fabulous" as the adjective du jour among her stylish friends. People took notice, and it has now almost become punctuation. If you find you have cause to use this word more than once a day (and frankly I'm jealous if you genuinely do) then why not spend the next 40 days trying to coin a new buzzword before this one loses its meaning entirely?
2. Twitter
This one needs no explanation really: Twitter seems innocuous enough but can you really survive for 40 days without telling the world what you're doing every half hour? If the very thought sends you into a cold sweat, then you've probably picked up on the fact that Twitter is just a little addictive, so if you don't want to be an addict the time to tackled it is NOW.
3. Taking photos of your food
OK, I admit it: I have done this. Today, in fact, so pleased was I with my pancake breakfast. But I hated myself for doing it because you know what? Unless you cooked it yourself and it's worthy of Heston Blumenthal's table, it's probably of little interest to anyone else. Even if that twitpic did immediately get 30 hits...
4. Scoffing Percy Pigs
There seems to be a bit of an epidemic among office workers, fashion girls and bloggers at the moment and it comes in the shape of a jelly pig sold in large bags by M&S. I've tried them, and I don't get it. But I still see people putting these away at a rate that can only be described as unhealthy - and then blogging about it. This has got to stop.
5. Pinterest
OK, we love Pinterest - but perhaps the love has gone a bit too far in recent weeks. It eats up our lunch hours, forces us to look at more pictures of cats and cupcakes than is remotely sane or normal, and there's not really any ultimate point to it beyond 'ooh, pretty'. Don't get me wrong, pretty things are great - but so is living in the real world, getting work done and actually eating food rather than clicking on it. Why not try to have a pinterest few weeks over lent?
