The Power of Sacrifice
Giving Something Up Everyday Can Have a Positive Influence on Life
Jul 9, 2009
At one point or another everyone is forced to give up something they love for a short time. Whether it is a medical test that demands fasting or a religious holiday that requires a break from a favorite activity, sacrifice is a way of proving that life can exist without something thought to be important. Giving up frivolous or unnecessary items also helps to put things in perspective and can teach value to those that attempt to do it.
Why Sacrifice?
Making a daily sacrifice can have powerful effects regardless of the person's religious beliefs. Choosing to do without simply to prove that it can be done is an amazing way to show strength and it can really have a positive influence on a person's overall state of mind. While many people associate sacrifice with their religion, anyone can choose to give something up solely for their own well-being. Sacrificing is particularly useful for those with a low self-image or little confidence as it can give a boost when the intention is carried out successfully.
Sacrificing provides something to feel proud about, it adds an accomplishment to a person's ongoing list of achievements. Depending on what is specifically chosen to do without, it can also prove that the amount of material or external things needed to be happy is not as big a number as first thought.
How to Sacrifice
Once the decision has been made to try to sacrifice something a plan should be constructed. The more difficult the sacrifice is, the harder the journey will be. For this reason it can be a good idea to start off small and slowly work towards something more meaningful.
To begin the sacrifice:
- Choose something that is used every day and try giving it up for just one day to see if it can be done. For example, give up the morning coffee.
- After multiple successful daily sacrifices it is time to move on and try to give something up for a week. Pick something that is usually used more than once in a week. For example, see if a week can go by without television.
- After there has been a significant amount of practice giving things up for a week at a time, move on to a month. Choose something that was previously given up for a week so that the extended sacrifice will be easier.
Once the sacrifice process becomes successful it is important to really give credit for the achievement. Giving up something for even just one day is a great feat for anyone who has never been forced to do so before, so make certain that an effort is made to feel good about what has been done.
Since an extended sacrifice may wind up causing some difficulty it is a good idea to set up a calendar or some other form of countdown to keep track of progress. When feelings of apprehension threaten the plan, look at the calender and check how far along the sacrifice is to help stay on track.
What to Choose for Your Sacrifice
The item that is chosen to sacrifice can make or break the endeavor depending on whether or not the right thing is picked. If something that is known deep down to be seemingly impossible to live without is chosen it will be extremely difficult to complete the sacrifice. Try choosing something that is thoroughly enjoyed but wished it wasn't. Items in this category include things such as coffee, alcohol, soda, sweets or some other type of food or beverage. Activities can also be given up as a sacrifice. Shopping, talking on the phone excessively and watching too much television are perfect examples of potential sacrifices in this category.
If it becomes easy to do without something from a lesser category it may be time to consider something larger. Perhaps there was always a desire to be a vegetarian but the change was avoided because it seemed hard to commit to. Or maybe an excessive attachment to a cell phone causes a hidden wish to live without it completely. Setting up a plan before beginning is absolutely necessary for a sacrifice of this size and it should be given careful consideration before starting. It's okay to fail and try again. Just the fact that an attempt is being made to do it at all is enough to be proud of.
Reward Yourself for the Sacrifice
After completing a successful sacrifice it's okay to feel proud and reward yourself. A reward at the end also helps to keep the motivation high and offers something to look forward to. While many people feel that a reward defeats the purpose of a sacrifice, others need one to stay on track. There are no rules when it comes to personal sacrifice, and what is used and how it was chosen is totally up to you.
Readers may also enjoy Get Motivated: Change Your Life By Becoming Busy and Change Your Life By Changing Your Words.
Sources:
Hubert H., Mauss M., Halls W.D., Sacrifice: Its Nature and Functions (Chicago, 1981).
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