I CHALLENGE YOU TO GRAYSCALE YOUR PHONE FOR THE ENTIRETY OF LENT
Last year, I learned about the capability our phones have to go completely black and white, or grayscale, from a trustworthy FOCUS missionary. He was touting its benefits for the brain and I was intrigued. Most of your phone's addictive properties come from the dopamine hit you get from the bright colors and highlights. You are enticed and spend more and more time on your phone. Your brain is happy, but your mind and soul are weary.
Simply changing your screen to grayscale can drastically curb your phone use by essentially boring your brain, so you instinctively spend less time on your phone and move on to something else more easily. A double bonus is that you decrease your exposure to
blue light. WooHoo!
Yep, it is true. I gave it a try and my brain did not like it at all. Within a couple of hours, I changed back to my full color mode to take pictures because I thought all my pictures would be black and white...but they were not. (Pictures will still be taken in full color. They just appear black and white while in grayscale mode.)
That's when I got the idea to keep my phone on grayscale for the entirety of Lent and now I am inviting you to join me in this effort to detach from the screen. Less time on the phone gives you for time for the things that really matter.
TIP: In grayscale mode, it is harder to find the app you are looking for, so I found that using the app search on the last home page is the best way to be efficient and find what you need.
spiritual

Although Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation, try and get to Mass to get your Lent off to a beautiful and blessed start. It is a day of fasting and abstinence, and the beginning of the Lenten disciplines you have chosen. Remember that Lent is all about growing in your relationship with God. Let's keep it simple. More God, less me.
self
Today begins 40 minutes of intentional movement. If it seems like a lot, try and break it up into 4 different sessions of 10 minutes of movement each. Set a timer and take a walk, run around the block, do squats as you unload the dishwasher, etc.
Did you take the Temperament Assessment from Metanoia Catholic? If not, the link is below. More to come on your temperament...
print this out
Click the link below to print out a copy (or several copies) of your personal SIMPLE40 template. Use this daily as a reminder to stay committed to your Lenten plan. Use it as a bookmark, put it on your bathroom mirror or on the fridge. Take a picture of it and use it as the background on your computer or phone.

today's recipe

Please share SIMPLE40 with anyone you think may enjoy it.
I am praying for you!
Katie Donahue
Founder of Integrated Life
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